Tulsa won the 1st half of the Texas League North Division by 5.0 games with a 40-27 record. But with much of their 1st half roster promoted to AAA, the 2nd half was not so kind. They dropped to 4th in the Division 14.0 games behind Wichita Wind Surge (Minnesota) with a 29-40 record. Overall they were 69-67 good enough for 3rd best Texas North Division 8.5 games behind.
The Texas League is a 10 team league.
Wichita spanked Tulsa twice in their best 2 of 3 North Division series; 17-1 and 11-1.
Tulsa underwent a huge roster turnover with multiple players being promoted to AAA (or traded).
With Tulsa at Beginning of Year
- Michael Busch – 2B/OF
- James Outman – OF
- Jake Amaya – SS
- Devin Mann – Utility
- Hunter Feduccia – Catcher
- Clayton Beeter – RHSP (Traded to NYY)
- Michael Grove – RHSP
- Justin Hagenman – RHRP
- Bobby Miller – RHSP
- Aaron Ochsenbein – RHRP
- Nick Robertson – RHRP
- Gavin Stone – RHSP (Technically started at A+)
- Mark Washington – RHRP
Replacements included:
- Abiatal Avelino – 2B/3B/Utility
- Jonny DeLuca – OF
- Ryan January – C
- Buddy Reed – OF
- Leonel Valera – Infield
- Jake Cantleberry – RHRP
- Nick Frasso – RHSP (Trade with Toronto)
- Jose Hernandez – RHRP
- Kyle Hurt – RHSP
- Jordan Leasure – RHRP
- Lael Lockhart – RHP
- Jose Martinez – RHRP
- Nick Nastrini – RHP
- Emmet Sheehan – RHP
At the beginning of the year, there were 12 AA players ranked in the Baseball America Top 30. Of the 12, 7 were promoted, 1 was traded, 4 remained on the AA roster, including 2 who were not ranked at mid-season. At the conclusion of the season, there were 6.
Promoted or Traded:
- Bobby Miller – RHSP (2) – To AAA
- Michael Busch – 2B/OF (4) – To AAA
- Clayton Beeter – RHSP (12) – Traded
- Jake Amaya – SS (14) – To AAA
- James Outman – OF (15) – To AAA
- Gavin Stone – RHSP (17) – To AAA
- Michael Grove – RHSP (24) – To MLB
- Devin Mann – Utility (27) – To AAA
Still with AA:
- Andy Pages – OF (6) – Ranked #7 mid-season
- Landon Knack – RHSP (7) – Ranked #8 mid-season
No Longer Ranked By Baseball America:
- Justin Yurchak – 1B (26)
- Carson Taylor – Catcher (28)
New AA Additions:
- Nick Nastrini – #13 mid-season – A+ beginning of season
- Nick Frasso – #16 mid-season – Traded from Toronto at deadline
- Kyle Hurt – #27 mid-season – A+ beginning of season
- Ryan Ward – #29 mid-season – AA (not ranked at beginning of season)
At the beginning of season, I believed the AA Tulsa affiliate to be the most talented MiLB Dodger affiliate. With the number of promotions, I believe that to have been proven out. Unfortunately, the replacements were not yet as talented, making for a less successful 2nd half.
Individual Texas League Leaders (Top 15)
BA:
- Justin Yurchak – #15 (.282)
OBP:
- Justin Yurchak – #12 (.375)
SLG:
- Ryan Ward – #7 (.486)
- Andy Pages – #12 (.468)
OPS:
- Justin Yurchak – #18 (.805)
- Andy Pages – #19 (.804)
Doubles:
- Andy Pages – #7 (29)
Triples:
- Andy Pages – #6 (3)
HRs:
- Ryan Ward – #2 (28)
- Andy Pages – #3 (26)
- Brandon Lewis – #4 (24)
RBIs:
- Andy Pages – #7 (80)
- Ryan Ward – #8 (78)
- Brandon Lewis – #13 (71)
Walks:
- Andy Pages – #13 (62)
Strikeouts:
- Brandon Lewis – #3 (147)
- Andy Pages – #5 (140)
Justin Yurchak
There were no Tulsa pitchers who qualified for League Leaders. Below are the pitchers who completed more than 40.0 IP and their respective ERAs.
- John Rooney – 98.0 IP – 6.15 ERA
- Bobby Miller – 91.0 IP – 4.45 ERA
- Alec Gamboa – 88.1 IP – 5.91 ERA
- Gavin Stone – 73.1 IP – 1.60 ERA
- Gus Varland – 70.2 IP – 6.11 ERA
- Landon Knack – 64.2 IP – 5.01 ERA
- Jose Martinez – 58.0 IP – 4.81 ERA
- Nick Martinez – 55.1 IP – 4.88 ERA
- Guillermo Zuniga – 54.2 IP – 4.77 ERA
- Jordan Leasure – 49.1 IP – 3.65 ERA
Team Batting Rankings:
- BA – #10 (.246)
- OBP – #10 (.334)
- SLG – #3 (.435)
- OPS – #8 (.769)
- Runs – #10 (707)
- Hits – #10 (1107)
- DBL – #9 (214)
- TPL – #5 (23)
- HR – #1 (196)
- BB – #9 (534)
- K – #5 (1267)
- SB – #9 (100)
Outside of HRs, this Tulsa team was not very good offensively. Three outcome approach. RVS is surely proud of these results.
Team Pitcher Rankings:
- ERA – #5 (5.19)
- WHIP – #6 (1.49)
- Hits Against – 2nd least (1090)
- Runs Against – #6 (757)
- HR Allowed – #6 (148)
- Walks Allowed – 3rd most (662)
- Strikeouts – #1 (1324)
- BAA – #2 (.245)
Tulsa Players who are eligible for the 1st time for Rule 5 draft:
- Brandon Lewis
- Kody Hoese
- Andy Pages
- Jonny DeLuca
- Ryan Ward
- Alec Gamboa
- Jake Cantleberry
Of that group, the only absolute figures to be Andy Pages. Jonny DeLuca will be in the consideration depending on the number of players needed for the 40 man.
MiLB Game Summary
Salt Lake City Buzz (LAA) vs OKC Dodgers 5
Gavin Stone finished his season with another masterpiece. He pitched 6.0 3-hit scoreless innings, with ZERO walks and 11 Ks. He finished the OKC season with a 1.16 ERA. Victor Gonzalez pitched another 1.0 perfect inning with 1 K. Nick Robertson pitched the final 1.1 perfect scoreless innings. Between VGon and Robertson, Daniel Zamora gave up the sole run on 4 hits.
Gavin Stone closed out his 2022 minor league regular season in brilliant fashion, tossing 6.0 scoreless innings, he allowed 3 hits, no walks, and struck out 11⬇️
He generated a whopping 22 whiffs, which came at a ridiculous whiff rate of 54% 😳 pic.twitter.com/dE7kzpLNTW
— Josh Thomas (@jokeylocomotive) September 27, 2022
- Drew Avans – continued his solid year – 2-4, 2 runs scored
- Michael Busch – 2-4, 2 doubles (32)
- James Outman – 2-4, HR (15) – He now has 31 HRs on the season with 106 RBIs.
- Devin Mann – 1-3, HR (5), 2 RBIs
Finally, Los Angeles Dodgers MiLB Player and Pitcher of the Year at a September 23, 2022 Dodger ceremony at Dodger Stadium.
The Branch Rickey Minor League Position Player and Pitcher of the Year. Congratulations, @DCarty_17 and @gavinbstone! pic.twitter.com/Xp87fU4PB6
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 24, 2022
All 11 of Gavin Stone’s strikeouts were of the strikeout by swinging variety.
Swing and miss stuff. Which Miller also has, but has more difficulty putting it where it needs to be put. Feels like he’s close. At times anyway. Stone will be 24 next year. Will it be his time? Will it be Grove’s? Will it be Miller’s?
Miller time–has a ring about it.
Grove, Stone, and Miller are depth if Anderson and Heaney were to return and the latter two might be re-signed if any of those three prospects are traded.
The Dodgers look like they have many more Division championships in them.
I agree. Deep pockets contribute to potential as well.
I’ll say it here instead of where I read it. I am so sick of the Manford whining and takes about masks and covid. Some just can’t let it go.
Some are hard wired to their biases. Me? I’m kinda wishy washy on mine.
I think a lot of what AF does this winter will be predicated by the logjam he’s going to face with his 40-man roster space. He’s going to have to make some tough decisions because he won’t be able to keep everyone and that might lead to some multi-player deals from our end.
That’s why, for example, a multi-prospect for Reynolds deal makes sense. It solves a need for us and helps a rebuilding club stock more viable (and inexpensive) solutions for their rebuild. The only question is will they take what we want to give them.
Jeff, I’m not sure where you got your Rule 5 list from but according to Future Dodgers Cartaya, Busch, Valera, Pages and Ramos all need to be added to the 40-man this winter (or traded), or they will certainly be taken in the Rule 5. Carlos Duran is another possibility, although probably less likely to be taken.
How about Busch, Pages, Graterol and Leonard for Reynolds and Bednar. For those who care, the Trade Simulator says this is an even trade. This would give us our closer and centerfielder for the next few years and allow us to trade Bellinger (by paying a chunk of his salary) for a lottery ticket/low-minors pick who wouldn’t need to be protected for a few years.
My list was just Tulsa Drillers that were Rule 5 eligible. There are plenty not on the Drillers that are eligible, and I will get into those in short order.
I have fixed the post so that it now reads Tulsa players eligible for the 1st time. Thank you for pointing that out so that I could correct it.
So would you do the trade I suggested, Jeff?
Yes. I am not so sure Pittsburgh would, but they could. Busch and Bazooka would be on the 26 man next year, and Pages and Leonard would be ready when Pittsburgh is ready to contend again. Pittsburgh may prefer Outman to Pages. They may prefer the higher floor to the higher ceiling. Maybe pull Leonard and add Amaya. The Pirates (and MLB) are not convinced that ONeil Cruz is a MLB SS. Defensively, Amaya is.
You may have to throw in a 5th prospect because of the # of years control remaining for Reynolds and especially Bednar. But the Dodgers do have the prospect capital to make such a trade, and it would help both organizations.
Let’s make that trade for Reynolds and assume Trea goes to a stadium that houses the most monstrous collection of humanity outside of the federal penal system with credit to GQ Magazine.
W.C. Fields proposed a fictional epitaph for himself in Vanity Fair magazine in 1925: “Here lies W.C. Fields. I would rather be living in Philadelphia.”
RF Betts
1B Freeman
3B Justin/Muncy
C Smith
DH Muncy/Justin
CF Reynolds
2B Lux
LF Outman/Thompson
SS Free Agent/Trade
You’re on a roll, Fred, so who do you plug in to the SS position?
I don’t think the Rays are trading Franco so you’re not allowed to use him.
Ardaya has a who stays who goes pice in The Athletic. Sounds a lot like what’s being said here. You guys could write for that site.
That lineup works Bum. I’d hit the FA SS 3rd. Who you got as the starting 6 rotation?
Potentially that is a realistic lineup. I would have no problem with that lineup. STB had a proposed Reynolds/Bednar trade. I noticed that you do not have Miguel Vargas anywhere in the lineup. Vargas may be the key addition that could get it done. The Dodgers are going to need to find a 3B at some point, but I agree, it is not next year with both JT and Muncy. There is also the LH hitting Edwin Rios who is getting precariously close to being a platoon or role player.
Poor Edwin. He basically has two positions, 3rd and DH.
JT and Max will split 3rd base duties next year with Vargas possibly getting a little time there as well.
JT, Max and Will Smith will split DH duties with Vargas possibly getting some time there also.
Where does that leave Rios?
I don’t see how they possibly keep him at OKC for another year, waiting for JT or Max to leave.
If I had to bet on the most likely player from the 40-man to be traded this off-season, my money would be on Rios.
Maybe Rios fits in Pittsburgh. Bet he would.
Rios has lots of potential. I’d ask for Reynolds and Bednar in return.
Sure. Ask. Be prepared to negotiate.
With the Dodgers history of development and free agent acquisition I think it’s safe to plan on not more than two players being promoted in any given year. One pitcher and one position player. Looking ahead, who are the two most likely to succeed? None of us want to give up another Alvarez for a 1 inning pitcher. I’m not sure Reynolds is that guy either. Maybe, but I’d prefer an outfielder that can hit and play defense. Reynolds defensive numbers aren’t all that. 3 WAR is a good thing, but my gut tells me if Rios got the 600 plate appearances Reynolds gets, he too could put up 3 WAR. I think Outman could too, and with him some of that would be dWAR.