The ACL Dodgers opened the ACL season against the ACL Rangers. Final score ACL Rangers 11 vs ACL Dodgers 10.
Aiden Curry in his 2nd stint in the ACL drew the start for the Rangers, and it went much better than 2021. He shut down the Dodgers batters for 4.1 innings allowing 2 hits and 4 walks that did not produce any runs. He also had 4 strikeouts.
In fact the Dodgers fell behind the Ranger 10-0 after 6 innings. They scored five in the 7th, 4 in the 8th, and climbed to within 1 at 10-9 heading into the 9th. The Rangers scored 1 in the top of the 9th. A walk, a balk, a fly ball to CF and the lead off runner was on 3rd with 2 outs, and a good chance to get out of the inning. Alas, a wild pitch brought home the 11th and eventual deciding run.
The Dodgers had their own wild 9th. Harold Restituyo reached on a fielding error and moved to 2nd on a single by Frank Rodriguez. Rodriguez is a third catcher who will be playing a lot of 1B this season. After a wild pitch put the game tying run in scoring position with no outs, Julio Enrique lined out to 1B who tossed the ball to 2nd to double off Luis Morales, who just entered the game to run for Rodriguez. Now the Dodgers had a runner on 3rd with 2 out and 2 runs down. Juan Alonso struck out but reached first on the wild pitch, and Restituyo scored.
The Dodgers #10 prospect, SS Wilman Diaz came to bat. He was already 0-5 with 3 Ks and 8 runners LOB. He did not K this AB, but he did not get a hit. He flew out to RF to end the game. Wilman had an 0-6 night.
On the Mound
17 year old RHP Maximo Martinez started and faced the minimum batters the first two innings. In the third, with 1 out, Martinez hit a batter, and then surrendered a single and double to score two. He was relieved by converted SS Joel Ibarra who yielded two singles to allow his one inherited a runner to score.
For those wondering where Cameron Gibbens wandered off to, he is in the ACL. He pitched 1/3 of an inning, allowing 1 run on 1 hit and 3 walks. He also recorded one of his patented Ks.
Four more pitchers followed (7 in total) with similar results, apart from 21 year old Brelyn Jones. Jones is another converted SS. He was the 29th round selection in the 2019 draft. He is the son of former MLB pitcher Bobby Jones. Jones pitched 1.1 scoreless innings. He yielded 1 hit and 1 BB, and registered 2 Ks.
At the Plate
Two players I expect to follow closely and comment on (good and bad) are SS/2B Rayne Doncon (#22 prospect) and C Thayron Liranzo. Doncon went 2-5 with 3 RBIs and Liranzo went 2-5 with 2 doubles and 4 RBIs. A third top 30 prospect, Jesus Galiz (#26) is also on the ACL roster and will share catching duties with Liranzo and DH. On night 1, he was the DH and went 1-4 with a double.
Frank Rodriguez went 2-4 adding a solo HR to his single. Julio Enrique had a 2 hit night as well.
Three top prospects are in the top 30 (MLB Pipeline):
#10 Wilman Diaz – SS – 6’ 2” – 182 pounds, 18 years old (Turns 19 – 11/19/2022)
#22 Rayne Doncon – SS/2B – 6’ 2 – 176 pounds, 18 years old (Turns 19 – 09/22/2022)
#26 Jesus Galiz – C – 6’ 0” – 180 pounds, 18 years old (Turns 19 1- 2/19/2022)
Not on Prospect List (but highly considered):
Thayron Liranzo – 6’3” – 195 pounds, 18 years old (Turns 19 – 07/05/2022)
There will be a lot of names that will be included in the box scores over the next 60 games. I do not plan on providing as much detail for future games. I will focus on the top prospects and names of players who might be standing out. And it probably will not be for every game.
Player of the Game
If I had to pick one, it would be Thayron Liranzo who had 2 doubles and 4 RBIs.
Box Score
Over the weekend Joe Girardi was terminated and today it was Joe Maddon. It wasn’t Girardi that put the worst defensive team in MLB together. Bryce Harper is their best defensive corner OF, and with an elbow injury he cannot play defense.
The Angels played over their heads before the first 44 games, and played poorly the last 12 games. But together they are 27-29 and nobody expected them to be much better than that. They lost their SS, and their 3B is playing like he belongs in Hollywood. Taylor Ward is now hurt. Maddon can only play the guys on the roster. There has to be more to the termination other than the 12 game losing streak.
Both Girardi and Maddon were hired by GM’s other than those now in those positions. When you’ve been hired by a guy and he’s replaced by someone else, your job is always in jeopardy. Both Dombrowsky and Manasian saw a chance to do what they might have wanted to do since the day they took over.
Dombrowski and Minasian are just as much of the problem, but I agree, they are not going to fire themselves.