Friday Moves

Kevin Kiermaier

The Tampa Bay Rays recalled SS Sean Rodriguez from the Durham Bulls and placed him on the 15-day disabled list with a right hand fracture. This is to make him eligible for the playoffs.

Outfielder Kevin Kiermaier has been assigned to the Durham Bulls from the Charlotte Stone Crabs.

The Bowling Green Hot Rods placed 3B Tyler Goeddel on the 7-day disabled list retroactive to August 29th. If he's healthy, he will be eligible to play on September 5th, which is the Hot Rods first playoff game. In the mean time expect 3B to be manned by Ben Kline, Taylor Motter, and/or Juniel Querecuto.

Keith Castillo

The Bowling Green Hot Rods activated catcher Keith Castillo from the disabled list to fill Goeddel's spot.

The Hot Rods probable starters:

Saturday, September 1st vs. Fort Wayne - LHP Jake Partridge (5-1, 2.53)

Sunday, September 2nd vs. Fort Wayne - LHP Felipe Rivero (8-8, 3.18)

Monday, September 3rd vs. Fort Wayne - RHP Reinaldo Lopez (1-0, 2.08)

That is the end of the regular season. I would expect LHP Ryan Carpenter to start the first playoff game on Wednesday the 5th.

The Rays picked up another outfielder:

The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired outfielder Ben Francisco from the Houston Astros in exchange for a player to be named later. He is expected to join the Rays in Toronto tomorrow and a corresponding move for the 40-man roster will be made after tonight’s game.

Francisco, 30, was hitting .247 (21-for-85) with two home runs and five RBI in 31 games with the Astros, who acquired him on July 20 as part of a 10-player trade with the Toronto Blue Jays. He started the year in Toronto and hit .240 (12-for-50) with two RBI in 27 games, missing a month (May 25-June 24) with a left hamstring injury.

The right-handed hitter has spent six seasons in the majors with the Cleveland Indians (2007-09), Philadelphia Phillies (2009-11), Blue Jays (2012) and Astros (2012). For his career, he has a .258 batting average, .328 onbase percentage, 47 home runs and 181 RBI. He has played the majority of his games in left field (212 games) and right field (148).

Albert Suarez

The Rays will add the following players to the active roster after midnight when rosters expand from 25 to 40:

- catcher Chris Gimenez
- infielder Reid Brignac
- outfielder Rich Thompson
- LHP Cesar Ramos

There may be more additions over the holiday weekend.

RHSP Albert Suarez has been designated for assignment. This is the corresponding move to make room on the 40-man roster for Ben Francisco.

Rays Extend Another Player Development Contract

Hot Rods and Rays will remain together for at least two more years:

The Bowling Green Hot Rods and the Tampa Bay Rays have announced an extension of their Player Development Contract, keeping the Rays Class A Affiliate in Bowling Green through the 2014 season. The Rays and Hot Rods have been partners since 2009, the inaugural season of Hot Rods baseball in Bowling Green.

"We are very pleased to continue our relationship with the Rays," said Art Solomon, Hot Rods owner. "Tampa Bay continues to be a top-notch organization that consistently supplies us with high-character players and competitive teams on a yearly basis. We look forward to contending for Midwest League titles in the years to come."

"Working with the Rays has been a pleasure for our team”, continued Solomon, “The players provide our fans with excitement on the field while representing the Rays, the Hot Rods, and themselves with class in the community. We look forward to two more great years with Tampa Bay."

Since the partnership between the Rays and Hot Rods began in 2009, the Hot Rods have produced one current member on the Rays Major League roster, starting pitcher Matt Moore. Currently, five players that have donned a Bowling Green uniform are members of the Triple-A Durham Bulls, and 19 former Hot Rods play in Double-A for the Montgomery Biscuits.

“We are very pleased to extend our relationship with Bowling Green," said Rays Director of Minor League Operations Mitch Lukevics. "Since our affiliation began, they have been great partners in the development of our players."

The Hot Rods have won 155 games in the last two seasons and will make their second consecutive appearance in the Midwest League postseason on Wednesday, September 6. Only two teams at the Class A level have more victories than the Hot Rods over the past two seasons: the Midwest League’s Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto) and the South Atlantic League’s Greensboro Grasshoppers (Miami).

Wednesday Moves

Alex Torres

The Durham Bulls activated LHP Alex Torres from the 7-day disabled list yesterday. He was 0-1 with a 3.18 ERA in 4 rehab starts for the GCL Rays. Over 11.1 innings he struck out 17 and only walked 4.

RHSP Jorge Rodriguez was assigned to the Princeton Rays from the GCL Rays yesterday. The 20 year old started the regular season finale last night for the P-Rays and allowed 2 earned runs and 6 hits over 4.1 innings. For the GCL Rays he was 2-3 with a 3.54 ERA over 11 appearances, including 8 starts.

Outfielder Willie Argo was assigned to the Bowling Green Hot Rods from the Princeton Rays to take Josh Sale's roster spot. The 22 year old was the Rays 22nd round pick in June. He hit .301/.404/.411 in 209 at-bats for Princeton with 17 stolen bases and a 31-49 BB-SO ratio.

Nick Sawyer

The Rays 40th round pick in June, RHRP Nick Sawyer, was also promoted to Bowling Green from Princeton. The 20 year old has dominated batters in the GCL and Appy with a 0.31 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 29.0 innings. With Princeton he only allowed 6 hits in 24.1 innings.

With the additions of Argo and Sawyer the Hot Rods roster stands at 26 so expect at least one more move later today.

RHSP Jeff Niemann is expected to start for the Rays on Saturday. The Rays aren't planning on using a six-man rotation, just using Niemann for spot starts as needed the rest of the season. The Rays will need to make a move to add him back onto the 40-man roster.

UPDATE:

The Bowling Green Hot Rods have placed RHSP Jake Floethe on the 7-day DL, bringing the roster down to 25.

Rays Announce Arizona Fall League Players and Staff

The following players and staff from the Tampa Bay Rays organization will join the Phoenix Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League:

- INF Tim Beckham - Durham Bulls

- OF Kevin Kiermaier - Charlotte Stone Crabs

- INF Hak-Ju Lee - Montgomery Biscuits

- RHRP Lenny Linsky - Charlotte Stone Crabs

- LHRP Chris Rearick - Montgomery Biscuits

- LHP C.J. Riefenhauser - Montgomery Biscuits

- RHRP Kirby Yates - Montgomery Biscuits

- INF/OF Richie Shaffer - Hudson Valley Renegades (taxi squad - only eligible to play on Wednesdays and Saturdays)

- Hitting coach Steve Livesey - Rays minor league hitting coordinator

- Trainer Chris Tomashoff - Gulf Coast League Rays

Other orgs who will contribute players to the Desert Dogs include the Oakland Athletics, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, and Florida Marlins. The last time the Rays sent players to the Desert Dogs was in 2009.

As in past seasons the league will consist of six teams in two divisions, with orgs assigned as follows for 2012:

East Division
Mesa Solar Sox: Astros, Cubs, Dodgers, Orioles, Tigers.
Salt River Rafters: Blue Jays, D-backs, Nationals, Rockies, White Sox.
Scottsdale Scorpions: Angels, Giants, Indians, Pirates, Yankees.

West Division
Peoria Javelinas: Mariners, Padres, Phillies, Reds, Twins.
Phoenix Desert Dogs: Athletics, Braves, Brewers, Marlins, Rays.
Surprise Saguaros: Cardinals, Mets, Rangers, Red Sox, Royals.

Some other notes...

Season schedule: Opening day for the league’s 20th anniversary season is Tuesday, October 9th. The Rising Stars game is scheduled for Saturday, November 3rd at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. The league championship game will be Saturday, November 17th at Scottsdale Stadium.

Weekly schedule: The league plays Monday through Saturday at six Maricopa County spring training stadiums during the six weeks prior to Thanksgiving.

Game times: 12:35 p.m. and 6:35 p.m. local time.

The venues for 2012 remain the same:

Mesa Solar Sox -> Mesa Hohokam Stadium
Peoria Javelinas -> Peoria Sports Complex
Phoenix Desert Dogs -> Phoenix Municipal Stadium
Salt River Rafters -> Salt River Fields at Talking Stick
Scottsdale Scorpions -> Scottsdale Stadium
Surprise Saguaros -> Surprise Stadium

The 2012 Phoenix Desert Dogs schedule:

Week One
Tuesday, 10/9 - Scottsdale Scorpions, 12:35
Wednesday, 10/10 - at Scottsdale Scorpions, 6:35
Thursday, 10/11 - Peoria Javelinas, 12:35
Friday, 10/12 - at Peoria Javelinas, 12:35
Saturday, 10/13 - at Mesa Solar Sox, 12:35
Sunday, 10/14 - Off Day

Week Two
Monday, 10/15 - Salt River Rafters, 12:35
Tuesday, 10/16 - at Salt River Rafters, 6:35
Wednesday, 10/17 - at Surprise Saguaros, 12:35
Thursday, 10/18 - Surprise Saguaros, 12:35
Friday, 10/19 - Mesa Solar Sox, 12:35
Saturday, 10/20 - Peoria Javelinas, 12:35
Sunday, 10/21 - Off Day

Week Three
Monday, 10/22 - at Scottsdale Scorpions, 12:35
Tuesday, 10/23 - Mesa Solar Sox, 12:35
Wednesday, 10/24 - at Surprise Saguaros, 12:35
Thursday, 10/25 - at Salt River Rafters, 12:35
Friday, 10/26 - at Surprise Saguaros, 6:35
Saturday, 10/27 - Scottsdale Scorpions, 12:35
Sunday, 10/28 - Off Day

Week Four
Monday, 10/29 - Salt River Rafters, 12:35
Tuesday, 10/30 - Mesa Solar Sox, 12:35
Wednesday, 10/31 - at Scottsdale Scorpions, 12:35
Thursday, 11/1 - at Salt River Rafters, 12:35
Friday, 11/2 - Surprise Saguaros, 12:35
Saturday, 11/3 - Rising Stars Game, 5:10
Sunday, 11/4 - Off Day

Week Five
Monday, 11/5 - at Surprise Saguaros, 12:35
Tuesday, 11/6 - at Peoria Javelinas, 12:35
Wednesday, 11/7 - Peoria Javelinas, 12:35
Thursday, 11/8 - at Mesa Solar Sox, 12:35
Friday, 11/9 - Scottsdale Scorpions, 12:35
Saturday, 11/10 - Salt River Rafters, 12:35
Sunday, 11/11 - Off Day

Week Six
Monday, 11/12 - Peoria Javelinas, 12:35
Tuesday, 11/13 - at Peoria Javelinas, 12:35
Wednesday, 11/14 - Surprise Saguaros, 12:35
Thursday, 11/15 - at Mesa Solar Sox, 12:35
Friday, 11/16 - Off Day
Saturday, 11/17 - Championship Game, 1:10


Rosters:

- Roster size is 30 players per team.

- Each MLB organization is required to provide at least six players.

- All AAA and AA players are eligible if they were on at least a AA roster by August 1st.

- One player below the AA level is allowed per MLB org.

- One foreign player per org is allowed, as long as the player does not reside in a country that participates in winter ball, as part of the Caribbean Confederation or the Australian winter league.

- No players with more than one year of credited Major League service as of August 31st are eligible, except an org may select one player picked in the most recently concluded Major League Rule 5 Draft.

- Players on a minor league disabled list must be activated at least 45 days before the conclusion of their respective seasons.

UPDATE: Per this article there are some new roster rules for the 2012 season, including:

But under new roster guidelines, teams can send seven players to the AFL. The seven appointments can include two low Single-A or first-year draft picks signed by July 13, two high-A players and three Double-A or higher participants.

That explains the Rays sending 3 players below the AA level. Apparently they have also changed the disabled list rule (being off for 45 days before end of season) since Hak-Ju Lee is being sent while currently on the Biscuits DL. The AFL information page still lists the rules I originally posted, so I'm not sure what other rules may have changed.

Rays Extend Player Development Contract

Finally some good news, Charlotte will continue as a Tampa Bay affiliate for a minimum of two more years:

The Tampa Bay Rays have extended their player development contract (PDC) with the Charlotte Stone Crabs of the Class A Advanced Florida State League through the 2014 season.

The Stone Crabs have served as the High-A affiliate for the Rays since the team was first announced after the 2008 season. Charlotte has twice reached the playoffs in its four years in the FSL, advancing to the League Championship Series in both 2009 and 2010.

"We are excited to continue our partnership with the Tampa Bay Rays,” said Stone Crabs General Manager Corey Brandt. “The relationship has been great for the development of future Major Leaguers and our community."

Charlotte has helped produce a number of Major League talents. Pitchers Alex Cobb, Jake McGee and Matt Moore all serve as key pieces for the Rays, while catcher Stephen Vogt also made his debut with Tampa Bay earlier this season. Pitcher Darin Downs, who won the FSL ERA title in the inaugural season of 2009, is currently pitching in relief for the Detroit Tigers.

"We are very pleased to extend our relationship with the Stone Crabs," said Rays Director of Minor League Operations Mitch Lukevics. "Since our affiliation began four years ago, they have been great partners in the development of our players."

Josh Sale Suspended

Josh Sale

And Josh Sale makes four - the MLB release:

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced today that three Minor League players have been suspended following their violations of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Kansas City Royals Minor League first baseman Mark Donato has been suspended for 50 games without pay after testing positive for an Amphetamine. The suspension of Donato, who is currently on the roster of the Arizona Rookie League Royals, is effective immediately.

Tampa Bay Rays Minor League outfielder Joshua Sale has been suspended for 50 games without pay after testing positive for Methamphetamine and an Amphetamine. The suspension of Sale, who is currently on the roster of the Single-A Bowling Green Hot Rods of the Midwest League, is effective immediately.

Toronto Blue Jays Minor League right-handed pitcher Marcus Stroman has been suspended for 50 games without pay after testing positive for Methylhexaneamine. The suspension of Stroman, who is currently on the roster of the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Eastern League, is effective immediately.

Updated 2012 minor league suspension leaders by organization:

6 - Rays
4 - Mets, Cubs, Twins
3 - Nationals, Cardinals, Phillies
2 - Giants, Mariners, Orioles, Marlins, White Sox, Indians, Red Sox, Royals, Blue Jays
1 - Tigers, Braves, Angels, Rockies, Athletics, Astros, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Reds, Rangers, Yankees, Pirates
0 - Brewers, Padres

This doesn't include Matt Bush. Pathetic.

Scores and Highlights from 8/27

Jacksonville Suns 1, Montgomery Biscuits 0
The Biscuits allowed just one hit while they outhit the Suns but still lost 1-0. Omar Luna was 3 for 4 with a triple. Matt Buschmann pitched 8 innings, allowing just one hit but was charged with the loss. Kirby Yates pitched a no-hit frame, striking out 2 of the 3 hitters he faced.



Charlotte Stone Crabs, Palm Beach Cardinals (Postponed)
Monday’s Stone Crabs game was postponed due to the effects of Tropical Storm Isaac. It will be made up as a doubleheader on Tuesday.



Bowling Green Hot Rods 11, South Bend Silver Hawks 5 The Hot Rods won their third straight game against the Silver Hawks on Monday. Alejandro Segovia was 3 for 5 with a double and 3 RBI’s. Ben Kline was 2 for 5 with a double. Juniel Querecuto was 2 for 5 with a double. Taylor Motter had a two run homer. Tyler Goeddel drove home 3 runs. Reinaldo Lopez was the winner and Stayton Thomas earned the save.



Staten Island Yankees 8, Hudson Valley Renegades 3
 The Renegades dropped the series opener to the Yankees, putting an end to their winning streak at 8 games. The Renegades combined for 5 singles on the night, each from a differed hitter. Matthew Spann suffered the loss in his second start of the season. Alex Moshier pitched no-hit innings.



Princeton Rays 4, Elizabethton Twins 3 The P-Rays scored in the top of the ninth to squeeze out a win over the Twins. Julian Morillo and Ismel Antunez each had two hits. John Alexander had a double and an RBI. Randy Davis pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Nick Sawyer pitched 2 no-hit innings with 6 strikeouts to record the win.

Monday Moves

Brett Nommensen

The Montgomery Biscuits have placed outfielder Brett Nommensen on the 7-day disabled list, retroactive to August 24th.

The Montgomery Biscuits placed catcher Mayo Acosta on the 7-day disabled list. He broke his right ankle in the game on Sunday.

RHRP Matt Nevarez has been assigned to the Montgomery Biscuits from the Charlotte Stone Crabs.

Catcher Craig Albernaz has assigned to the Montgomery Biscuits from the Durham Bulls. Albernaz was on the Biscuits roster back in April but didn't play in any games. When he appears in his first game it will mark his 6th season playing in a Biscuits game (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012).

Mayo Acosta

Infielder Sean Rodriguez broke his hand hitting a locker after the win last night for the Durham Bulls. No moves have been made, and I doubt there will be since the Bulls season is nearly over. He was expected to rejoin the Rays on September 1st but that seems unlikely at this point.

RHSP Jeff Niemann is still technically on the Durham Bulls roster as part of his MLB rehab assignment but he is back with the Rays today. No word when the Rays will activate him, but when they do spots will be needed on both the 25-man and 40-man rosters since Niemann is not currently on the 40-man.

Scores and Highlights from 8/26

Durham Bulls 4, Norfolk Tides 3
The Bulls swept the Tides to win their sixth straight game. Rich Thompson was 3 for 4 with a double. Sean Rodriguez was 2 for 4 with a double, home run and 2 RBI’s. Tim Beckham had a solo home run. Cesar Ramos pitched 6 scoreless innings for the win. Brandon Gomes notched the save.



Jacksonville Suns 7, Montgomery Biscuits 3
The Biscuits lost their fourth game in a row following Sunday’s loss to Jacksonville. Mike Sheridan, Greg Sexton and Ty Morrison each had two hits. Mayo Acosta had a two run homer. Derek Dietrich had a double. Kyle Lobstein suffered the loss.



Charlotte Stone Crabs, St Lucie Mets (Cancelled)
Sunday’s game between the Stone Crabs and Mets was cancelled due to Tropical Storm Isaac. This was the last meeting between these two teams so it will not be rescheduled.



Bowling Green Hot Rods 10, South Bend Silver Hawks 4
For the second straight game, the Hot Rods offense put up ten runs to defeat the Silver Hawks. Jake Hager was 3 for 5 with a double. Cameron Seitzer had a double and 3 RBI’s. Josh Sale had a double and 3 RBI’s. Kes Carter drove home two runs. Jake Hager had a double. Parker Markel was the winner and Jake Partridge the save.



Hudson Valley Renegades 3, Aberdeen Iron Birds 0
The Renegades shut-out the Iron Birds for their third straight series sweep to extend the winning streak to nine games. Richie Shaffer was 2 for 4 with 2 RBI’s. Joel Caminero had a double. Jesse Hahn pitched 5 scoreless innings with 7 strikeouts. Brandon Henderson earned the win and Ryan Garton picked up the save.



Princeton Rays 8, Elizabethton Twins 6 (10 innings) 
The P-Rays scored two runs in the tenth inning to win the series opener against the Twins. John Alexander had 3 hits and 2 RBI’s. Oscar Hernandez drove home 2 runs. Brandon Martin had a double. Zach Butler recorded the win and Jonathan Weaver the save.

Future Considerations Podcast (Episode 30: Ryan Brett Suspension, Strong Second Halves, Red Sox-Dodgers Weirdness)

This week, Scott and Kevin talk about the Ryan Brett suspension and his current standing as a prospect, three players who started slow but are finishing strong in Jake Hager, Hak-Ju Lee, and Chris Archer, and finish with some major-league discussion of the Rays playoff chase and the Red Sox-Dodgers blockbuster.


Questions or comments? E-mail podcast@raysprospects.com

Music is from Isle of Q

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Scores and Highlights from 8/25

Durham Bulls 5, Norfolk Tides 3
The Bulls won their fifth straight following a Saturday night win over the Tides. All but on Bull reached base on the night. Sean Rodriguez had a double and 2 RBI’s. Cole Figueroa had a double. Ryan Reid was the winner and Dane De La Rosa the save.



Jacksonville Suns 9, Montgomery Biscuits 6
The Biscuits gave up an early lead to lose their third game in a row. Ty Morrison was 3 for 3 with a double and 2 runs scored. Mikie Mahtook was 2 for 5 with a double and 2 RBI’s. Shawn O’Malley had 2 hits. Ryan Garko had 2 RBI’s. Chris Rearick suffered the loss.



Charlotte Stone Crabs 2, St Lucie Mets 1 (12 innings)
The Stone Crabs won in extra innings to put an end to losing streak. Todd Glaesmann was the Stone Crabs offense, driving home the tying run on an RBI single in the ninth and delivering a solo homer in the twelfth to win the game. Riccio Torrez had a double. TJ Geith and Matt Nevarez each pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings. George Jensen was the winner.



Bowling Green Hot Rods 10, South Bend Silver Hawks 6
The Hot Rods opened the series with a win against South Bend. Kes Carter was 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBI’s. Ben Kline was 2 for 4 with 2 RBI’s. Cameron Seitzer was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Jeff Malm had 2 hits. Taylor Motter had a solo home run. Sean Bierman won his Hot Rods debut. Austin Hubbard recorded the save.



Hudson Valley Renegades 7, Aberdeen Iron Birds 6 (11 innings)
The Renegades won the series opener in extra innings to extend their winning streak to a season high eight games. Richie Shaffer was 3 for 4 with a double and 2 RBI’s. Ryan Dunn was 2 for 5 with a double and an RBI. Jordan Harrison pitched 3 1/3 no-hit innings with 3 strikeouts. Marcus Jensen was the winner.



Princeton Rays 4, Bristol White Sox 3
The P-Rays keep their wildcard hopes alive as they beat Bristol on Saturday night. Daniel Duran was 2 for 3 with 2 double and an RBI. Julian Morillo had a triple. John Alexander had a double and an RBI. Randy Davis was the winner and Nick Sawyer notched the save.



GCL Rays 4, GCL Orioles 3
The Rays scored in the bottom of the ninth to earn a walk-off win in the season finale on Saturday. Yoel Araujo was 3 for 5 with a double and 2 RBI’s. Spencer Edwards and Clayton Henning each had an RBI. Nolan Gannon was the winning pitcher. The GCL Rays finished the 2012 season with a 28-32 record, third in the GCL South Division.

Scores and Highlights from 8/24

Durham Bulls 8, Norfolk Tides 3
The Bulls won their fourth straight game following a Friday night win over the Tides. Tim Beckham was 3 for 5 with an RBI. Leslie Anderson was 2 for 5 with a home run. Stephen Vogt was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Henry Wrigley and Jesus Feliciano were also 2 for 4. Chris Gimenez had a three run homer. Reid Brignac drove home two runs. Matt Torra picked up the win. Dane De La Rosa earned the save.



Jacksonville Suns 6, Montgomery Biscuits 2 
The Biscuits lost their series opener to the Suns. Ryan Garko was 3 for 4 with an RBI. Omar Luna was 2 for 4 with a double. Mike Sheridan and Mark Thomas each had 2 hits. Merrill Kelly was charged with the loss.



St Lucie Mets 6, Charlotte Stone Crabs 5 
The Stone Crabs late rally fell short as they dropped the series opener for their fourth straight loss. Robi Estrada was 3 for 3 with a double. Victor Mateo suffered the loss. The bullpen team of Jimmy Patterson, Alex Koronis and Lenny Linsky pitched 5 1/3 scoreless frames.



Dayton Dragons 8, Bowling Green Hot Rods 4 
The Hot Rods lost the series finale against the Dragons. Ben Kline made his Hot Rods debut, going 2 for 4 with a solo home run in his first at-bat. Josh Sale and Juniel Querecuto also had 2 hits. Taylor Motter had a double. Ryan Carpenter was the losing pitcher.



Hudson Valley Renegades 8, Aberdeen Iron Birds 7
The Renegades won their seventh game in a row following a win in the series opener against Aberdeen. Leonardo Reginatto was 3 for 4. Charles Epperson was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Luke Maile was also 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Jake DePew had 2 hits and an RBI. Taylor Guerrieri pitched 5 shut-out innings with 3 hits and 7 strikeouts. Jose Molina was the winning pitcher and Ryan Garton got the save.



Bristol White Sox 5, Princeton Rays 3
The P-Rays lost their second straight games to the Sox as they lost on Friday night. Darryl George was 3 for 4 with a double and 2 RBI’s. John Alexander was 2 for 4 with 2 doubles. Eli Echarry suffered the loss.



GCL Orioles 3, GCL Rays 2 (Game One, 13 innings) 
The Rays lost the first game of the doubleheader in extra innings. The game was originally suspended on 8/18 tied 2-2 in the sixth. The Rays got three hits but could not score a run as they lost to the home team in the 13th inning. Dayne Quist was the losing pitcher.



GCL Rays 1, GCL Orioles 0 (Game Two)
The Rays walked away with 1-0 shut-out win to split Friday’s doubleheader. Isaias Velasquez was 2 for 3 with a double. Armando Araiza and Jiminson Natera and Cesar Perez each had a double. Perez drove home the games lone run. Alex Torres pitched 3 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts. Isaac Gil followed with 4 more scoreless innings with 5 strikeouts for the win.

Game Photos from 8/24: GCL Rays at GCL Orioles

Click on the photo above to view a gallery of photos from Friday's doubleheader between the GCL Rays and the GCL Orioles.

Scores and Highlights from 8/23

Durham Bulls 3, Norfolk Tides 2
The Bulls defeated the Tides to win their third game in a row. Cole Figueroa was 2 for 4 with a run scored. Nevin Ashley had a solo home run. Rich Thompson had a double. Jim Paduch was the winner and Brandon Gomes notched the save.



Pensacola Blue Wahoos 6, Montgomery Biscuits 0
The Biscuits were shut-out in the series finale against Pensacola. Omar Luna was 2 for 3. Derek Dietrich had a triple. Jake Thompson suffered the loss. Marquis Fleming pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts.



Palm Beach Cardinals 9, Charlotte Stone Crabs 2
The Stone Crabs watched an early lead disappear as they were swept by the Cardinals. Kevin Kiermaier was 2 for 3 with a double. Luke Bailey had a double. Todd Glaesmann and Phil Wunderlich each had an RBI. Enny Romero was charged with the loss.



Bowling Green Hot Rods 2, Dayton Dragons 1 (13 innings) 
The Hot Rods defeat the Dragons in extra innings to extend their winning streak to three games. Alejandro Segovia was 2 for 5 with a double and drove home the game winning run. Taylor Motter was 2 for 4 with a double. Felipe Rivero pitched 3 scoreless innings. Andrew Bellatti pitched 4 scoreless frames to earn the win.



Hudson Valley Renegades 1, Connecticut Tigers 0
The Renegades swept the Tigers for their second straight series sweep and earn their sixth consecutive win. With the 1-0 shut-out, the Renegades have not allowed a run in 32 straight innings. Richie Shaffer drove home the game’s lone run. Jeff Ames was the winner, striking out 8 in 5 innings to improve to 5-0. Dylan Floro picked up the save.



Bristol White Sox 4, Princeton Rays 0 
The P-Rays watched their winning streak come to an end as they were shut-out in the series opener against Bristol. The P-Rays managed just four hits on the night. Hugo Duarte suffered the loss.



GCL Red Sox 10, GCL Rays 4
The Rays lost their final match-up of the season against the Red Sox on Thursday. Armando Araiza was 2 for 4 with a run scored. Bralin Jackson was 2 for 5. Yoel Araujo was 2 for 5. Douglas Duran had a double and an RBI. Wilmer Dominguez drove home 2 runs. Geisel De La Cruz took the loss. Kyle Pelchy threw 3 scoreless innings.



DSL Rays 10, DSL Mariner 3 Cristian Toribio was 2 for 4 with 2 RBI’s. Roberto Adolfo was 2 for 2 with 2 RBI’s. Julio Herrera had a double. Enmanuel Paulino had a triple. Nelson Arguila was the winning pitcher. The DSL has cancelled Friday and Saturday’s games due to rainfall from Tropical Storm Isaac, ending the DSL Rays season. They finished with a 28-42 record putting them in sixth place in the division.

Thursday Moves

More bad news on the suspension front - from the MLB press release:

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced today that three Minor League players in the Tampa Bay Rays organization have been suspended following their violations of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Second baseman Ryan Brett, pitcher Charles Cononie and pitcher Justin Woodall, all of whom are with Single-A Bowling Green of the Midwest League, each tested positive for methamphetamine and an amphetamine.

All three players have received 50-game suspensions without pay, effective immediately.

The Rays have now had five players suspended for substance abuse this season - these three plus Tim Beckham and Deshun Dixon. And of course there is Matt Bush, who has been on the restricted list since spring training.

LHSP Sean Bierman has been promoted to Bowling Green from Hudson Valley. The 23 year old was drafted in the 10th round this June out of the University of Tampa. Bierman was 4-2 with a 2.75 ERA over 11 starts for the Renegades this season. In 52.1 innings he struck out 36 while walking only 5 batters.

Infielder Benjamin Kline has been promoted to Bowling Green from the GCL Rays. He was the Rays 32nd round pick in June. Kline, 23, had a .347/.393/.419 line in 124 at-bats in the Gulf Coast League.


Here are Brett's career stats since the Rays took him in the 3rd round of the 2010 draft:

Year   Age         Teams  AB   R   H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB  SO   BA  OBP  SLG  OPS
2010    18      GCL Rays  89   8  27  5  2  0   9 12  3  8  17 .303 .364 .404 .768
2011    19     Princeton 240  42  72 22  5  3  24 21  3 26  24 .300 .370 .471 .841
2012    20 Bowling Green 410  77 117 20  3  6  35 48  8 37  73 .285 .348 .393 .741
3 Seasons                739 127 216 47 10  9  68 81 14 71 114 .292 .357 .419 .777

Here are Cononie's career stats. He was the Rays 24th round pick in 2011:

Year   Age         Teams W L  ERA  G GS SV   IP HBP WP  WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9
2011    22 Hudson Valley 1 1 2.43 16  0  6 29.2   5  0 0.978 5.2  0.0  3.6  8.2
2012    23 Bowling Green 2 4 4.20 34  0  5 60.0  12  9 1.500 6.8  0.2  6.8 10.4
2 Seasons                3 5 3.61 50  0 11 89.2  17  9 1.327 6.2  0.1  5.7  9.6

And here are Woodall's stats since he was drafted in the 26th round in 2010:

Year   Age         Teams W L  ERA  G GS SV   IP HBP WP  WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9
2011    23 Hudson Valley 2 1 2.25 19  0  4 24.0   2  0 1.333 6.8  0.4  5.2 10.1
2012    24 Bowling Green 3 4 4.76 30  1  4 58.2   7  9 1.602 8.9  0.5  5.5  8.0
2 Seasons                5 5 4.03 49  1  8 82.2   9  9 1.524 8.3  0.4  5.4  8.6

I usually don't include HBP and WP numbers, but I thought they were interesting.

Minor League Breakdown: The Pitching Prospects

Two weeks ago I've posted the last MiL-Breakdown. Sorry for the week delay. Here is the newest breakdown of the pitching prospects (sadly not including Stepan Havlicek's and Chris Archer's excellent performances yesterday).

Overall state of the farm

Louisville is doing all it can to squeeze the Bulls pitching staff out of last place in the International League, but the Bulls remain resistant as they have increased their team ERA up to 4.71. Nevertheless, the overall trend of the farm system is positiv. Since mid-July, the Rays MiL affiliates have a record of 126 wins vs. 99 losses. That's the pace of a 91 win team. Especially Hudson Valley with excellent pitching as well as a balanced offense is responsible for that.
Side note: The system-wide ERA of 4.07 is the lowest it has been all season.

OPS-CH and ERA-CH stands for the OPS and ERA change since the last minor league breakdown. Overall ERA and OPS are from ALL affiliates (including DSL, VSL and short season ball affiliates)

Prospects stats overview

As nearly all pitchers in the Rays minor league system have taken the hill this season, I'm going to look at the leaders in a specific stat every week. This week: Hits allowed per 9 innings pitched (min. 20 IP). Starters (min. 50% of performances are starts) are in italic.

1. Nick Sawyer (PRI, GCL) ... 2.8 H/9
2. Dane De la Rosa (DUR) ... 4.9 H/9
3. Ryan Garton (HDV) ... 5.1 H/9
4. Nolan Gannon (GCL) ... 5.5 H/9
5. Oscar Armenta (GCL) ... 5.9 H/9
6. Enny Romero (CHA) ... 6.2 H/9 ... please let the control come around
7. Jeff Ames (HDV) ... 6.3 H/9
8. Chris Rearick (CHA, MON) ... 6.4 H/9
9. Kirby Yates (MON) ... 6.5 H/9
10. Blake Snell (PRI) ... 6.5 H/9

I've removed all stat-lines with less than 5 IP in order to keep the length of the table from becoming way too long for a post. Rehab assignments are excluded as well.

The following lists are no prospect rankings. They just show which players have been hot/cold and/or show positive/negative trends over the last 2-4 weeks.

Prospects on the rise

1. Nick Sawyer ... His last 13 IP: 0 ERA, 0.28 FIP, 17.3 K/9, 2.1 BB/9. He has outgrown rookie ball. I hope we'll see him in HDV or BG as soon as this season.
2. Jesse Hahn ... While it's way too early to tell, the gamble the Rays took by selecting him may pay off. His last 4 starts: 17.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 21 K, 3 BB. Over the whole season he struck out 24.6 % of the batters he faced, which is excellent, while having the 3rd lowest FIP among starting pitchers in the system (with 2.30, only trailing Oscar Armenta and Taylor Guerrieri)
3. Ryan Garton ... What a season: 29.3 K%, .158 AVGagainst, 1.69 ERA, 1.79 FIP over 21.1 IP in Hudson Valley.
4. Taylor Guerrieri ... His last 3 starts: 13 IP, 12 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 K, 1.88 FIP. He is striking hitters out less than I expected, but ... man ... this control is unreal! On the season he only has walked 1.4 % of batters faced and has a K/BB ratio of 15!!!
5. Jake Floethe ... He has been very consistent on a high level all season long, while recently even upping his game: His K-rate improved all season long while his last 3 starts have been pitched with a 1.89 FIP and 6.3 K/BB-ratio.
6. Kevin Brandt ... Already having been on the last on-the-rise list, he continues to dominate Appalachian-league hitters: His last 15 IP: 1.21 ERA, 2.13 FIP, 9.6 K/9, 0.6 BB/9.
7. Kevin James ... After coming back from a two week break, he - for the first time since being drafted - posted three solid starts in a row: 11 IP, 2.38 FIP, 11.5 K/9, 1.6 BB/9.
8. Shane Dyer ... While the move up to Durham was not pretty, he feels comfortable back in Montgomery: His last 15.2 IP: 0.57 ERA, 2.39 FIP, 6.3 K/9, 0.6 BB/9.
9. Enny Romero ... His last three starts: 17.2 IP, 1.50 ERA, 2.64 FIP, 8.6 K/9, 2 BB/9
10. Jeff Ames ... Since last MiL-breakdown: 13.1 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 2.47 FIP, 3 BB, 14 K
11. Honorable mentions:  Luke Goodgion, Matt Ramsey (strong start after injury, hopefully he can live up to his pre-injury scouting report), Sean Bierman, Damion Carroll, Braulio Lara (excellent in three starts before yesterday's more than mediocre performance), Robert Gomez, Eduar Quinonez, Randy Davis, Ryan Reid, Geisel De la Cruz, Theron Geith, Luis Cabrera, Kirby Yates (24 K in last 13.1 IP, but also 11 walks), Dane De la Rosa, Chris Archer (even without yesterday's start)

Prospects to be falling

1. Brandon Gomes ... The peripherals remain strong (9.5 K/9, 1.4 BB/9), but the results are not pretty (last 12.1 IP, 5.84 ERA, 4.74 FIP ... all driven by two bad outings). Maybe I'm too harsh on him to put him on this list, but I'm setting higher standards for him than for others.
2. Felipe Rivero ... See comment above
3. Ryan Carpenter ... Last 19.1 IP: 6.37 FIP, only 4.2 K/9.
4. Frank De los Santos ... I shouldn't have praised him. 5.6 BB/9, only 4.5 K/9 and a 7.72 FIP since then.
5. Nolan Gannon ... He has completely lost his control over the last 4 appearances (12 IP)
6. Jake Thompson ... When are the Rays finally moving him to the pen? He is not striking anybody out and even walking more batters than he strikes out. A high ERA (and FIP) are the result.
7. Nick Barnese ... His comeback could have been better, to be polite. Only 11.7 K% and an ERA over 5 (FIP: 4.63) won't do it. But, we should give him time. 
8. Chris Kirsch (4.5 K/9, 5.6 BB/9 over last 8 IP) and Eliazer Suero (8.3 K/9 and 10.5 BB/9 over last 12 IP).

Glossary

All of the stats provided above are excluding the stats from the previous day. I preferrably use FanGraphs as source for the stats. Click on each stat for its explanation:

• Traditional stats: AVG, BB%, K%, K/BB-ratio, HR/9, WHIP and ERA.
• Newer stats: FIP, BABIP and LOB%.

Scores and Highlights from 8/22

Durham Bulls 2, Norfolk Tides 0
The Bulls pitching staff allowed just 4 hits as they shut-out the Tides in the series opener. The Bulls themselves only recorded a single hit but were able to take advantage of 4 walks to help score two runs. Chris Archer threw 6 1/3 scoreless innings for the win. Adam Liberatore pitched 1 2/3 no-hit innings. Dane De La Rosa notched the save.



Montgomery Biscuits 9, Pensacola Blue Wahoos 8
The Biscuits trailed through much of the game until a four run seventh and a three run ninth help them squeeze out a slim one run victory. Ty Morrison was 3 for 5 with a home run and 2 RBI’s. Derek Dietrich was 2 for 5 with a home run and 2 RBI’s. Mikie Mahtook was 2 for 5 with a triple and 2 RBI’s. Ryan Garko had a solo home run. CJ Riefenhauser was the winning pitcher and Chris Rearick earned the save.



Palm Beach Cardinals 7, Charlotte Stone Crabs 2 (Game One) 
The Stone Crabs struggled to turn baserunners in to runs as they dropped the first game of the doubleheader. Kevin Kiermaier had a double and an RBI. Robby Price drove home a run. Braulio Lara was the losing pitcher.



Palm Beach Cardinals 4, Charlotte Stone Crabs 2 (Game Two)
The Stone Crabs outhit the Cardinals but still struggled to get the runners home as they lost the second game of the doubleheader. Todd Glaesmann was 3 for 4. Robby Price was 3 for 4. Phil Wunderlich and Robi Estrada drove home the Stone Crabs runs. George Jensen suffered the loss. Jimmy Patteson pitched 3 no-hit innings of relief.



Bowling Green Hot Rods 12, Dayton Dragons 5
The Hot Rods offense was red hot on Wednesday as they scored 12 runs to beat the Dragons. Drew Vettleson was a perfect 4 for 4, allowing him to break the franchise record for most hits in a season. Ryan Brett was 2 for 3 with a double and 3 runs scored. Matt Rice was 3 for 5 with a double and 2 runs scored. Cameron Seitzer and Jake Hager each went deep, Josh Sale had a double. Charlie Cononie was the winner.



Hudson Valley Renegades 11, Connecticut Tigers 0
Matthew Spann had plenty off offensive backing to help him win his first start and extend the Renegades winning streak to five games. Richie Shaffer was 3 for 4 with 2 RBI’s. Mary Gantt was 2 for 4 with an RBI and 3 runs scored. Luke Maile was 2 for 5 with a triple and 2 RBI’s. Joey Rickard was 2 for 4 with an RBI and 2 runs scored. Leonardo Reginatto was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Thomas Coyle had a two run homer. Spann allowed just 2 hits while striking out 5 in six shut-out innings to secure the win. Kris Carlson was hitless for 2 and Ron Finneran had a scoreless final frame to take the shut-out through nine.



Princeton Rays 7, Danville Braves 5
The P-Rays scored late to sweep the Braves and extend their winning streak to four games. Andrew Toales was 2 for 4 with a home run and 3 RBI’s. John Alexander was 2 for 4. James Harris had a double. Zach Butler pitched 2 2/3 no-hit innings for the win.



GCL Rays 3, GCL Red Sox 2
The Rays narrowly defeated the Red Sox on Wednesday. Isaias Velasquez was 3 for 3 with a double and 2 stolen bases. Yoel Araujo was 2 for 4. Leopoldo Correa had 2 RBI’s. Stepan Havlicek was the winner and Alex Moshier the save.



DSL Mariners 4, DSL Rays 0
The Rays outhit the Mariners but couldn’t score as they were shut-out. Cristian Toribio was 3 for 4. Joselito Cano was the losing pitcher.