SF Giants Minor Lines 8/23/17: Kelvin Beltre hits a HR!

Apparently I depressed some readers with yesterday’s post. By way of apology, let me offer this:

HIGHLIGHTS: Sandro Fabian had four hits in double header; Alexander Canario had three hits and walk.

---

Sacramento had their final off night of the year

---

Richmond lost at Erie Sea Wolves (Tigers), 1-0 in 12 inn
winning their three games series, 2-1

I see from twitter that the entire baseball-loving world was focussed on the state of Pennsylvania last night, watching with bated breath a game that went to extra innings, tied 0-0.

It was probably this game. Probably. I mean, it didn’t read that carefully, but I imagine this was the game that everyone was so excited about. Nine innings, 0-0. Yep. This one.

Three Up/Three Down.
UP: 1) Cory Taylor had his best AA start with 7 shutout innings. 2) Tyler Cyr hasn’t allowed an earned run since July 26. He’s struck out 11 and walked 2 in 9 IP in that time. 3) Cody Hall has allowed just 5 ER in 23.2 IP w/ Richmond, striking out over 35% of batters.

DOWN: 1) Aramis Garcia is having a bumpy transition to AA, hitting just .208 his first 15 games with 17 Ks in 58 PA; 2) CJ Hinojosa is wilting down the stretch, posting just a .480 OPS in August with 12 strikeouts and just 5 walks. It’s the first month this year in which he’s had double digit strikeouts; 3) Vic Black is struggling to turn velocity into results, as he has a WHIP of over 1.8 this year. His FIP in the EL is 5.66.

Hinojosa hasn’t taken his offensive struggles to the field with him however. This play temporarily saved the game last night, coming with two outs and the bases loaded in the 11th.

---

San Jose lost at Visalia Rawhide (Diamondbacks), 5-1

San Jose took the field with the hope of staying in 1st place and winning their first series in Visalia in more than four years. They did neither. Things looked good briefly in the top of the 1st, when they loaded the bases on two walks and a single. But strikeouts from Dillon Dobson and Gio Brusa would end the threat and the Giants would have just four more baserunners the rest of the night. They ended with just four hits overall — all coming from Bryan Reynolds and Heath Quinn, who had two apiece.

Shaun Anderson, meanwhile, struggled his way through 3+ innings. Following a quick 3UP/3Down bottom of the first, Anderson spent most of the rest of his night in the stretch. Nine of the last 13 batters he faced -- and 7 of the last 8 — reached base. That included three walks and a HB. After allowing three straight batters to reach base in the top of the 4th, Anderson’s night was over. Michael Cederoth entered with the bases loade and no outs and did a fine job pitching through the slog, allowing just one of Anderson’s runners to score.

The rest of the night, San Jose showcased two extremely strong, albeit wild, arms that the Giants have picked up this year. First Cederoth, who was a 3rd round pick by the Twins, and then their latest, Drew Muren. Muren is a Cal St. Northridge kid quite recently released by the Diamondbacks after walking 21 batters in 30 innings in AA and AAA. Muren has been scouted hitting triple digits this year, but he struggles with his control. He had an impressive showing last night, striking out six of the nine batters he’s faced. In three games with San Jose, Muren has K’d 11 batters in 5 IP. Like Rodolfo Martinez, he was a Cal League All Star in 2016.

Joe Panik got in a second rehab game and went 0 for 3 with a walk. No word afterwards on how many more rehab games he’ll need. He was followed at 2b by the newest San Jose player, Cristian Paulino who moved up to take Steven Duggar’s roster spot.

We noted yesterday that Matt Krook had another impressive outing. But I hadn’t realized just how good Krook has been out of the bullpen until good friend Conner Penfold posted this note:

---

Augusta lost at Asheville Tourists (Rockies) 5-4 in Gm 1 (7 inn)

Augusta lost at Asheville Tourists (Rockies), 8-5 in Gm 2 (7 inn)

Kelvin Beltre hit his first HR since May 7th in the second game of this double header sweep. It was one of just two hits that Beltre had over the course of eight at bats, but it sure was good to see him back in the HR column. The 20 year old 2b has made legitimate strides in his approach this year, cutting his K% by nearly 10 percent and boosting his BB% significantly. But it’s come at the cost of a significant drop in power, with his Iso down to about .100. Being more selective at the plate should hopefully lead to more and better pitches to drive. We can only hope that next year Beltre can bring together his better selectivity and contact rates with his previously shown ability to drive the ball. Beltre has just 8 XBH since July 1.

Sandro Cabrera finally got his first start of the year in the second game and it didn’t go so well or last too long. The lithe lefty was knocked out of the box by a big 5-run inning in the 3rd. Cabrera was arguably the best starting pitcher in the DSL during the 2015 title run but he’s started just two games since coming to the domestic side and his career in the bullpen has been mostly ups and downs. I know I repeat this ad nauseum, but those DSL pitching stats are better left uninterpreted and there’s no better example of that than that great 2015 rotation of Victor Concepcion, Sandro Cabera, Raffi Vizcaino, Melvin Adon, and Norwith Gudino, who haven’t exactly blazed a path of glory stateside. The game’s just hard, man.

Sandro Fabian kept up his hot hitting August, going 4 for 8 over the two games with just 1 strikeout. All of his hits were singles. After striking out 20 times or more in each of April, May and June, Fabian’s struck out just 11 times in August. Improvements!

---

Salem-Keizer won at Eugene Emeralds (Cubs), 4-3

The Volcanoes have gotten to see a good bit of hard-throwing, high round picks in the NWL this year. Yesterday they went up against Cubs 1st rounder (and unsigned Giants draft pick out of HS) Brendon Little. And they did a number on the left-hander.

Orlando Garcia reached base on a two-out strikeout WP to keep the top of the 1st going. And the Volcanoes took advantage of the mistake to pile on with a four-run inning. The big blow came from Manuel Geraldo.

Little never would find that elusive third out, and after back to back walks loaded the bases his day was done. Malique Ziegler could have broken the game open but he popped out to end the inning. That gave Ziegler the distinction of having made the first and final out of the big inning, part of another tough night for the CF at the plate.

That would be all the offense for the Volcanoes on the night. After Luis Pino struggled through 92 pitches in 4.2 IP, Weilly Yan and Aaron Phillips held the 1-run advantage the rest of the way. Yan had the big moment in the game, coming into a 5th inning rally with the tying run at 3b and shutting it down.

I know I sort of promised at the top to be upbeat and optimistic today, but I do tend to wonder when I get to this point in the Lines every day: when was the last time Salem-Keizer had such a prospect deprived roster as they do this year? I realize this is in large part due to a high school heavy draft at the top this year, but looking at all elements of the roster (hitters, rotation, relief), there’s really not much to hang your hat on here, is there? Fortunately the AZL team is quite interesting, because this short-season team is one of the most lackluster I can remember the Giants fielding in maybe a decade. There’s an awful lot of org filler on the field here it looks to me.

Having said that, let’s watch Bryce Johnson run around. That’s fun.

---

AZL Giants had the day off

They have just one more off day before the end of the season. While we’re waiting out the off day, enjoy some Franklin Van Gurp

---

DSL Giants beat the DSL D-backs1, 6-4 in 10 inn

Alexander Canario had three hits including an RBI single that gave the Giants a 10th inning lead. Canario also walked, reaching base four times on the day. He did have a tough day in one respect, however. Not only was he CS for the 10th time this year, but two of his teammates caught him in the SB column. Anyesber Sivira, who entered the game in the 7th inning as a PR, stole three bases, giving him 20 for the year. Raiber Gutierrez stole his 18th of the year.

Canario’s big day pushed his average up to .299 and his OPS up to .864. And interesting note about Canario: in addition to his other achievements this year, he leads his team in both games played and PA despite being the youngest player on the team. His 262 PA is 30+ more than anybody else on the team. Only Canario, Sivira, Franklin Labour, and Omar Medina have 200 PA.

Gregory Santos wasn’t as sharp as his previous outing, but he was still strong. Santos walked three after walking just two in his three starts with the Giants combined. He also had a WP and a balk. However, he allowed just three hits over his four innings and once again piled up the ground balls. He had six groundball outs and all three of the singles he allowed were grounders. Ironically, the only fly ball that left the infield against him resulted in a Sac Fly and his only run allowed.

Despite the victory however, the Giants were pushed to the edge in the standings as the division leading Blue Jays took both halves of a double header. That reduces the Giants’ elimination number down to just 1. Without an truly extraordinary sequence of events their season will end on Saturday.

---

Today’s Scheduled Starters:
Sacramento: Matt Gage vs. Bryan Rodriguez
Richmond: Nate Reed vs. Daniel Camarena
San Jose: Dom Mazza vs. Joe Duplantier
Augusta: Caleb Baragar vs. Antonio Santos
Salem-Keizer: TBD vs. Jesus Camargo
AZL: Miguel Figueroa
DSL: Marco Gonzalez: Norwith Gudino; TBD

Dom Mazza takes the mound for his Cal League debut with his team very very much in need of a win. He faces off against Diamondbacks’ Joe Duplantier who starts against San Jose for the 4th time this year and 3rd time in his past five outings. Norwith Gudino goes to the mound for what will likely (hopefully) be his final DSL appearance as part of a double header for the Giants.

Lastly, if you, like me, were starting to wonder if Conner Nurse was really signed and in the org, wonder no more!