OKC Comets:
Dodgers outfielder James Outman was named Pacific Coast League player of the week on Monday, after a strong six games for Triple-A Oklahoma City in Salt Lake City. Playing the Bees, an Angels affiliate, Outman had 12 hits in 26 at-bats,
OKC is in 1st place in the Pacific Coast League East Division with a 19-8 record. That also happens to be the best record in all of the PCL. The Comets are 5.0 games ahead of Round Rock (Texas) in the PCL East.
Hunter Feduccia leads the current team in all four slash categories:
- AVG – .333
- OBP – .435
- SLG – .627
- OPS – 1.062
Eddie Rosario actually leads in AVG with a .339 AVG, but my caveat was current team . Feduccia is 11 PA shy of being qualified for League Leaders. However, the Comets have multiple players amongst the League Leaders.
Runs:
- Michael Chavis – 20 – #5
- Hyeseong Kim – 20 – #5
- Ryan Ward – 19 – #8
- Alex Freeland – 17 – #12
Hits:
- Alex Freeland – 34 – #4
- Ryan Ward – 33 – #7
- James Outman – 27 – #17
Doubles:
- Alex Freeland – 12 – #3
- Hyeseong Kim – 8 – #11
HR:
- Michael Chavis – 6 – #3
- James Outman – 6 – #3
- Ryan Ward – 5 – #7
BB:
- Austin Gauthier – 17 – #10
RBI:
- Alex Freeland – 25 – #4
- James Outman – 19 – #11
- Ryan Ward – 18 – #12
SB:
- Esteury Ruiz – 12 – #1
- Hyeseong Kim – 12 – #1
- Alex Freeland – 6 – #8
AVG – Ryan Ward – .330 – #7
OBP – Esteury Ruiz – .411 – #12
SLG – Michael Chavis – .586 – #6
OPS – Michael Chavis – .937 – #12
The Comets have 5 hitters with an OPS > .800.
- Michael Chavis – .299/.351/.586/.937
- Ryan Ward – .330/.398/.530/.928
- Dalton Rushing – .294/.398/.485/.883
- Alex Freeland – .309/.382/.473/.855
- James Outman – .245/.314/.491/.805
Ryan Ward is having back to back excellent AAA seasons. He led PCL in HRs last year with 33 and the Dodgers went out and signed Michael Conforto for $17MM. Didn’t Ward deserve at least a chance?
Ward and Kody Hoese will be MiLB free agents at the end of the year unless their contracts are purchased before year end.
The Dodgers have exactly one qualified pitcher for ERA League Leader, Justin Jarvis. Pitchers need 22 IP to be qualified. Jarvis has 26.2 IP. The next closest pitchers:
- Justin Wrobleski – 17.1 IP – 5.71 ERA
- Nick Frasso – 17.0 IP – 5.29 ERA
- Bobby Miller – 17.0 IP – 2.65 ERA
- Landon Knack – 16.0 IP – 3.38 ERA
Jarvis was good for #8 in ERA with 4.05, 1.39 WHIP (#9), and .204 BA (#4).
Team Stats:
Tulsa Drillers:
This has not been a good year thus far for the Drillers. Tulsa is in last place in the Texas League North Division, 7.0 GB Arkansas Travelers, Seattle AA affiliate. If not for the heroics from José Ramos, the picture would be worse. In his last 11 games, Ramos has hit .342/.435/.816/1.251, 6 HRs, and 12 RBI. After a very slow start, Ramos is now hitting .261/.342/.594/.936. He still strikes out too much, but something has seemingly clicked for José.
Ramos leads the Texas League in HR with 7. Aaron Bracho and Chris Newell are the next HR leaders for Tulsa with 3, good enough for 11th in League.
José Ramos has 15 runs scored, good for 9th. And José has 14 RBI, good for 11th in the League. Ramos is 10th in SLG with .594, and 12th in OPS with .936. Ramos is the only Tulsa hitter with an OPS >.800.
Damon Keith leads the team with 20 hits, but that ranks #20 in Texas League. Damon is also #2 in the League with 7 doubles.
Chris Newell has drawn 12 BB, good for 11th.
Taylor Young has 6 SB, good for 8th.
Pitching wise, Tulsa also has 1 qualified pitcher…Jerming Rosario with 17.1 pitches. However, Jerming is not in the top 15 in ERA, WHIP, or BAA.
Two big disappointments thus far for me in the pitching department…Jared Karros and Jackson Ferris. Ferris was dealing early on in the season and was then placed on the Development List. When he returned, he was not the same pitcher.
Team Stats:
MiLB GAME SUMMARIES
Both Oklahoma teams, OKC Comets and Tulsa Drillers were rained out. Both teams will play a DH on Thursday.
Quad Cities River Bandits (KC) 12 – Great Lakes Loons 5
The Quad Cities River Bandits scored in seven of nine innings, winning 12-5 over the Great Lakes Loons. The Loons dropped to 11-11.
The River Bandits had four doubles over the first three innings, accounting for four of their first seven runs. All seven runs were charged to Great Lakes starter, Eriq Swan. In 3.0 IP, Swan allowed 7 runs (6 earned), 7 hits, 2 BB, 4 K.
22 year old RHP, Joel Ibarra, made his season debut following Swan. He allowed a run without giving up a hit. A BB, a HBP, a WP, and a ground out and a run scored.
The Loons, in the fifth, brought across two runs to narrow the deficit to seven. After reaching just twice in the first four innings against Drew Beam, a Joe Vetrano single, error, and walk loaded the bases. A fielder’s choice by Kole Myers and a sac fly from Wilman Diaz netted the two tallies.
Both teams homered in the eighth, with Josue De Paula delivering the blast for Great Lakes. The Dodgers No. 3 prospect rocked a three-run shot 405 feet to right center field. The 19-year-old has a .855 OPS with three home runs in 21 games.
Quad Cities scored three runs in the final two innings, a Callan Moss solo shot put the River Bandits to double digits, and a sac fly from Canyon Brown made it 12-5.
Roque Gutierrez struck out seven in 3.2 innings in relief. The right-hander has punched out 19 in 11.2 innings this season with the Loons.
De Paula’s homer was the 18th for the Loons this month. In April 2011, Great Lakes hit 20, the most through the first month of the season.
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 9 – Stockton Ports (A’s) 4
The Quakes stretched their winning streak to a season-best six straight games, defeating the Stockton Ports on Tuesday afternoon.
Five innings of scoreless relief for the Rancho bullpen helped to seal the win, as Myles Caba and Ryan Brown held the Ports to just one hit over the final five frames.
Rancho starter Aidan Foeller worked four innings and gave up an early run, but the Rancho offense answered immediately.
Trailing 1-0, Nico Perez ripped a two-out single to knock in a pair, giving the Quakes their first lead at 2-1.
Stockton answered with an unearned run in the second to tie the game up, but the Quakes again answered in the bottom of the inning.
Samuel Munoz had a two-run single to highlight the four-run inning, as Rancho took a commanding 6-2 lead.
Stockton pulled to within two, but Rancho scored the final three runs of the game, thanks in part to a solo-shot from Mike Sirota (3) and another RBI hit from Munoz, rounding out the scoring at 9-4.
Gio Cueto finished with a career-best three hits and scored two runs to help lead Rancho’s 12-hit attack.
The Quakes will send Sean Paul Linan to the hill on Wednesday.
- Gio Cueto – 3-3, 1 BB, 2 runs
- Kellon Lindsey – 2-5, 2 runs
- Samuel Munoz – 2-4, 1 BB, 1 run, 3 RBI, double (5)
- Mike Sirota – 1-4, 1 BB, 2 runs, 2 RBI, HR (3)
- Triple – Jose Meza (1)
Matt Sauer
=MVP of this game. Saved the pitching staff with 5 innings and only 1 run given up. Bear was right and Sauer the right choice to take down the bulk innings .Andy Pages keeps on mashing. What a heater he is on! Keep it up, kid!
dePaula with an example of his raw power. But what was that home run trot all about?Lol.
Today the Catman on the hill after almost 1,5 years away. Fingers crossed he has a good start.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Who would have thunk it 10 days ago. Both Pages and Outman; players of the week! And I agree, what’s Ward have to do to get a shot?
Because as most of us know, LA prefers aging veterans trying to up their value to the kids. Peralta, Heyward, now Conforto, even Rosario got chances over a kid they scouted and signed.
Sauer did an excellent job last night; he will be on a plane back to OKC when the Catman is activated later today. I still despise letting position players pitch. Kike had some fun with it actually brining a smile to his manager’s face. But Muncy and Conforto could not even get the ball out of the infield against. Sinoia.
In a world with Ohtani, Kershaw, Miller, Knack, Wrobleski & Knack, it’s Casparius and Sauer who are on the field doing work.
Hold on. They’re coming.
Sheehan might be coming too. And Snell. We should know about Gonsolin by late tonight. Glasnow may feel better by summer. Several bullpen arms will be returning eventually. Maybe.
With Conforto and Muncy in this lineup to stay, Freeland, Ward and Outman are stuck where they are. As is Feduccia. In my opinion all deserve a shot, if not here then somewhere.
Free Feduccia!
Something that frustrates me but I don’t question is how the Dodgers slow play their prospects. You see other teams like Milwaukee, Atlanta, Boston bringing up 21, 22 year old players who seem to acclimate to MLB. I will never question our front office but I’d love to see a young player get a shot and be successful.
I think most Dodger fans are at least curious how those players that appear ready would fare in the bigs, but, where in the lineup do you put them?
None of those teams have 20 plus million dollar a year superstars ahead of the kids. Ronald Acuna’s kid brother is raking for the Mets. Has his brothers speed too.
We totally could’ve rolled with Rushing as starting LF but chose not to.
They could have, but Rushing has played exactly 32 games in the outfield, a team expecting to go to the World Series and repeat again, is not going to stick a kid in the outfield with that little experience. They would rather have a proven MLB talent out there. Rushing hasn’t proven anything yet.
How can he prove himself if he gets no chance ?
That is circular thinking.
and while saying that I would ask for a little more patience with Conforto (and Max too). Lots of Dodger fans wanted Pages sent down or DFAed only 10-12 days ago. And now look at him raking and playing some fine CF.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Conforto looks 10 days worth of injury to me and bring up Ward.
I like the first part but not sure about the second.
I don’t think you can fake an injury.
Not with that attitude
Outman should get another shot. Our best defensive OF might be: LF Teo , CF Outman, RF Pages.
Perhaps if Outman keeps playing well and Conforto continues to suck thru May, Outman may get a shot. Won’t happen until June at the earliest. I too would like to see Outman get another shot. But, he will have to earn it and Conforto will have to lose it. AF is loath to admit his mistakes and Conforto will get an extremely long runway.
Ward is not on the 40-man roster. The only two outfielders not in the majors on the roster are Outman and Ruiz.
Not the point Ram, they are not sticking a kid out there with that little experience at the position period. If he plays there more, maybe. But they have a guy making 17 million playing left, you figure out who is going to be playing.
just saying it was an option, as was sticking with lux
It was an option, but like as has been mentioned numerous times, this team prefers to slow play their rookies and prospects. Lux was not an option. He was not very good as an outfielder when he played there for the Dodgers. As a matter of fact, he looked totally lost out there. Cincinnati is better for him, closer to home, less pressure.
This is based on what?
Edman sitting again
No need for him to play. First off, they start a 10-game road trip on Friday in Atlanta, so sitting today while they are traveling to Atlanta, then getting a day off on Thursday, will leave him fresh to play the entire road trip. It also gets Kike some playing time, which he used well going 2-5.
Actually, what happened was that Edman tweaked his ankle last night.
A couple of HRs from last night’s games for Rancho and Great Lakes
Mike Sirota
Josue De Paula
Anybody got a comp for Sirota?
Max’s turn!!!!!!!
Conforto’s next to get going.
Im going to say Mike Trout, but that’s just me
MeWOW! Welcome back Catman. One hanging curve and an Andy Pages misplay away from 6 zeros. Nice to watch a pitcher with great command.
I was going to manage expectations by saying a cross between Soto and Mantle with the defense of Kiermaier, but Trout is perfectly mainstream
Too skinny.
Haha
I don’t think I’ve seen anything like Conforto’s propensity to ground out to 2B.
It happens to frequently, it has to be something mechanical. Right?
Lux went through a stretch like this last year but this is just ugly! Feel bad for the guy. I thought he would be a huge piece this year
He was in the second half of last year, and is off to a great start this season. It’s tough coming back from a serious injury and sitting out a year.
YES!
It does remind me of Lux beginning of last year.
Good call.
It looks like he is rolling over on the pitches.
Marlins are terrible
Sanchez is just a hot mess!!!!
You’re both right.
I think that development is different from player to player. You can either hit the ball or you can’t, you can catch the ball or you can’t, you can throw strikes or you can’t. Players like Adrian Beltre learned on the fly. He came up as a 19 year old and in limited playing time wasn’t a star. When Beltre turned 20 he was on his way to a hall of fame career. Some young players can handle the spot lights while others need to be baby stepped to the top. Either way is okay. LA sure has their players well seasoned by the time they get to the big time. That being said the Dodgers have kicked butt pretty much the last two decades. So I shouldn’t complain but as a fan that is my right.:)
This is just not big league baseball
Speaking of which, here comes Conforto.
As usual, I’ve lost the plot.
What are we talking about?
Different era, different mindset. And definitely different ownership.
It’s games like this when we need to really appreciate the Dodgers organization. Miami’s problems go beyond the bad defense. Their CF is just not fundamentally sound. The organization is also doing some unusual things like changing the way pitchers throw between starts and not having their minor league catchers call games (instead having the bench call the pitches). It was mentioned during the game that the thinking is if we keep doing the same things nothing will change. But change for just change sake’s is not a recipe for success.
Through 3 kershaw is putting on a clinic. 31 pitches two hits, fastball is about 87 mph. Change speed change location. I hope the youngster are watching the master working his craft.
Nice
Just returned from my doctor’s appointment at the Denver VA. So, I missed the game. But I saw Max had a homer and a triple. Feel good for the guy. Kershaw went 5 innings at OKC, allowed 3 runs, all on 2 homers. Other than that, he looks almost ready. Both of the homers were hit by players with previous MLB experience.
Mid-May for Kershaw, I think.
Outs Above Average is an interesting stat, from MLB’s Statcast. OAA is the cumulative effect of all individual plays a fielder has been credited or debited with, making it a range-based metric of fielding skill that accounts for the number of plays made and the difficulty of them.
For example, a fielder who catches a 25% Out Probability play gets +.75; one who fails to make the play gets -.25.
Read more about how Outs Above Average (OAA) works here:
http://tangotiger.com/images/uploads/History_of_the_Fielding.pdf
Dodgers OAA Leaderboard:
Edman: 4
Betts: 2
E. Hernandez: 2
Pages: 2
Freeman: 1
Conforto: -3
Rojas: -3
T. Hernandez: -4
Muncy: -4
De Paula leading off tonight.