May 23 Minor League Report/May 24 Preview

 

Brad Glenn
Brad Glenn

 

What? Another Blue Jays’ win? Against Oakland, the team with the best record in baseball? Are these the Blue Jays you’re actually talking about? Apparently. Enough of your lies. How did the minor league teams do? Well, I’m glad you asked. Jays Journal also has a minor league report. Read that too (but only after you’re finished here).

 

 

Buffalo Bisons 7, Louisville Bats 5

 

With another solid start from Shawn Hill, a Mississauga native, the Buffalo Bisons won again, thanks to some big hits from Brad Glenn. Hill threw six innings, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks and was followed by Raul Valdes, making his Buffalo debut after being traded by the Houston Astros to Toronto for future considerations. He was a bit rusty, allowing three runs in his inning. John Stilson went 2/3 of an inning, allowing two hits but striking out two while Bobby Korecky saved it, going an inning and a third.

Jared Goedert, who has been swinging a hot bat lately, went 2/4 with two doubles while Glenn went 3/5 with a double and three RBI.

Roster Moves (a few days ago): Raul Valdes was assigned to Buffalo. Catcher Sean Ochinko was moved to the DL after completing his 50-game suspension.

Player of the Game: Brad Glenn

 

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 3, Portland Sea Dogs 4

 

The hard-luck Fisher Cats can’t catch a break, losing this one 4-3 in 10 innings after rallying from a 3-0 deficit. Casey Lawrence allowed the first three runs (two were earned) through 6 2/3 innings but it was Richard Bleier who was charged with the game-winner after Randy Boone allowed the run to come in after relieving Bleier. Matt Newman had a two-hit game (including a double) while Ryan Schimpf did what Ryan Schimpf does: hit a home run, took a walk and struck out once.

Player of the Game: Ryan Schimpf

 

Dunedin Blue Jays 2, Fort Myers Miracle 4

 

The D-Jays continue to play close games, losing 4-2 to the Minnesota Twins’ affiliate Fort Myers. Starter Taylor Cole set a new career high fir strikeouts with 10 but allowed two home runs over his 6 2/3 innings, accounting for three runs to take the loss. Marcus Knecht had the best game with the bat, going 3/4 with a triple and an RBI.

Player of the Game: Marcus Knecht

 

Lansing Lugnuts 6, Fort Wayne TinCaps 17

 

It was a wild one in Fort Wayne that had a bit of everything. First, Matt Dermody was charged for six runs in the first two innings but when the Lugnuts mounted a charge, culminating in L.B. Dantzler‘s three-run home run in the top of the third, the following batter, Justin Atkinson was beaned by Fort Wayne pitcher Erik Cabreera. Dermody waited until Dustin Peterson, who had hit a home run for Fort Wayne, came to the plate and plunked him, resulting in both his and manager John Tamargo’s ejections as well as benches clearing.

It all went downhill from there, with the club making seven errors, leading to only 11 of the 17 runs being earned. It’s always fun to see position players getting into a game to pitch and Jason Leblebijian threw an inning, allowing two unearned runs on two hits and striking out one batter.

Despite the six-run outburst, the Lugnuts only had seven hits with a D.J. Davis triple, the L.B. Dantzler home run and Dawel Lugo‘s double being the only ones for extra bases.

 

L.B. Dantzler
L.B. Dantzler

Player of the Game: L.B. Dantzler

 

 

May 24 Preview

 

Buffalo Bisons (25-19)

 

Chad Jenkins makes his third start of the year for the Buffalo Bisons, facing former Blue Jay (and Bison) Chien-Ming Wang and the Louisville Bats in a 6:05 PM start on MiLB TV. Jenkins had a decent outing last time but is still getting stretched out to start. Wang has been serviceable this year with a 4.47 ERA but a high 1.56 WHIP with only 30 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings.

 

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (16-31)

 

The Fisher Cats hope for a better result today with Aaron Sanchez heading to the mound at 7:05 PM at home to face the Portland Sea Dogs and one of Boston’s top pitching prospects, Henry Owens. Sanchez’s ERA is very good at 2.98 but his WHIP (1.32) and BB/9 (5.6) are quite elevated. Owens, a Top-50 prospect, has a 3.22 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and a 10.2 K/9 this season in 50 1/3 innings. His walk rate is high but, like Sanchez, he’s been very hard to hit. The Fisher Cats have their work cut out for them.

 

Dunedin Blue Jays (33-14)

 

The Dunedin Blue Jays are playing a double header against the Lakeland Flying Tigers starting at 6:00 PM with both of the D-Jays’ starters unannounced. I’d look for Kramer Champlin to get one of the starts with Ben White possibly getting the other.

 

Lansing Lugnuts (23-24)

 

The Lugnuts hope cooler heads will prevail today in Fort Wayne, sending Jeremy Gabryszwski to the mound for a 7:05 PM start. Gaby has put up some solid numbers this year, with a 3.63 ERA and a 28-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 52 innings. He faces Payton Baskette, a 20-year-old lefty with a 3.99 ERA and only 22 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings.

 

Who are these players? Find out in The 2014 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook, now available as an ebook at Smashwords.com for $7.99 US. It’s coming soon to Amazon, Apple iBooks, Kobo and other fine retailers. You can purchase and preview the book at our Smashwords.com page! If you like us here,“like” us on Facebook!

 

All photos are copyright Blue Jays from Away (2013-2014) and may not be used without permission.