For some reason, I had it in my head that Mitchell Boggs was a pre-2005 draftee. I’m not sure where I picked that up from but it was a misconception. He was, of course, a 2005 draftee. Gosh, what a haul Luhnow made in that first draft: Rasmus, Anderson, Garcia, Daryl Jones, Tyler Herron, Boggs, Kenny Maiques. Just oodles of talent there. Anyway, there’s some nice quotes from Boggs in the Memphis Commercial Appeal:
”An early start in big league camp gave me some extra time to figure some things out and get comfortable,” Boggs said. ”I was able to do that and I’ve been able to carry that over into the early part of the season.
“I understand it’s a long year and I need to keep working. I’ve still got some things I need to sharpen up. It’s been a positive start for me.”
I’ll say it’s been a positive start. In 2 starts, he’s pitched 13 innings allowing 1 ER on 7 hits, 1 walk and striking out 7. Of course, we’d love to see that strikeout rate increase but that’s a nice start to the season.
Poor Springfield. After watching their team make it to the Texas League Championship, the early returns indicate they’re in for a long season. Jon Jay is off to a slow start as well. Pop Warner is juggling his lineup in an effort to get some things going but it isn’t really working yet. I cringe hearing this though:
“Jay hasn’t showed the last five games that he’s a guy that’s going to bunt and do things you need at the top of the lineup,” Warner said Tuesday. “We’ll probably keep him right there (at No. 6) for the time being. I’ve said all along that that’s a good spot to hit in.”
Your worries about whether your leadoff hitter can bunt? That’s the first thing that comes to mind? Meh. Maybe the poor season is just rattling him a bit. It can’t stay this bad all season, can it? Well, today wasn’t any better.
Only Memphis walks away with the win tonight.
- Rasmus was 0-for-4 with a walk. He stole his second base of the season. Yes; it’s too early to be concerned about his offensive stats.
- Nick Stavinoha was 2-for-4 with a HR.
- Cody Haerther shows why he should have been in AAA to start as he goes 2-for-4 with a double and 3 RBI.
- David Freese was 2-for-4 with a stolen base as the DH.
- Joe Rogers had the start and was so-so for 4.2 innings allowing 3 runs (1 earned).
- Chris Perez closed the game with a perfect frame striking out 1.
- Mark Hamilton was 3-for-4 with a double and a walk.
- Jose Martinez was 2-for-5. Martinez has struck out 3 times and walked 1 in nearly 40 PA this season. He puts the ball in play 90% of the time — that is a ridiculously high number. I’m not sure if this is evidence of an immature approach at the plate along with excellent bat control or what, but it’s kind of bizarre.
- Nick Webber started the game and pitched just under 3 innings. Then Cory Rauschenberger entered the game and got hammered for 6 runs. Question: Why was Webber starting? Adam Daniels, PJ Walters, Jaime Garcia, Adam Ottavino, Clayton Mortensen — did one of these guys hit the DL and I missed it?
- Bob Zimmerman retired 4 batters allowing a hit and striking out 2.
- Kris Honel pitched 2 innings allowing a hit and striking out 5 batters. Nice outing for him.
Palm Beach 3, Brevard County 7
- Brendan Ryan was 1-for-5 with a throwing error. He also was either picked off or caught stealing — the box scores continue the wonky behavior of listing both a PO and CS for the same event.
- Steve Hill was 2-for-4 with a double.
- Donovan Solano was 2-for-4 with a double and a fielding error.
- Another good outing for David Kopp. He threw 4 innings striking out 5, walking 2 and allowing 3 hits for 1 ER.
- Marco Gonzalez blew the save and got stuck with the loss allowing 4 runs. They were all unearned though (not that it really softens the blow — just ask Joel Pineiro — ZING!).
- QC mustered a whopping 4 hits with the only run coming of an Andrew Pelt HR.
- Errors galore though: 2 for Beau Riportella, 1 for Thomas Eager and 1 for Domnit Bolivar.
- Cardoza Tucker was no good as the first half of the piggyback system. He allowed 7 runs (5 earned) on 5 hits, 3 walks and 2 strikeouts in just 2.1 innings.
- His counterpart, Thomas Eager, was equally as bad. He allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits and 3 walks without striking out a batter in 3 innings.
Filed under: Daily Farm Reports
erik
azruavatar
fewgoodcards
roarke49
theredbaaron
What happened to Eddie Degerman? Is he hurt? Extended spring training? He’s not listed on any of the rosters at milb.com
Adam Daniels is on the DL. I also think we need to remember that the springfield team broke camp a lot earlier than the rest of the minors. I’m not trying to make excuses but that could be part of the reason for the slow start.
“the box scores continue the wonky behavior of listing both a PO and CS for the same event”
My guess is that if a pitcher catches a runner leaning the wrong way and throws him out at first, it’s a pickoff and only a pickoff.
But if the runner knows he can’t get back to first and takes off for second, it’s both a pickoff and a caught stealing.
Conversely, if the runner gets thrown out by the catcher following a pitch, it’s a caught stealing without a pickoff.
Unless there’s a better explanation …
Does anyone know the scoop on Mather?
He’s on the DL with back issues is all I know.
It’s high time for a Steven Hill nickname. I mean, crap, the guy just keep on raking. The Hitman? King of the Hill? Common Name but Uncommon Skills?
Lou — that could be the explanation. The odd thing is that we see it pretty often in the minor league boxscores but I’ve never seen it in a major league one.
“He puts the ball in play 90% of the time — that is a ridiculously high number. I’m not sure if this is evidence of an immature approach at the plate along with excellent bat control or what, but it’s kind of bizarre.”
It is very unusual. Jose Martinez is a poor man’s Howie Kendrick?
Springfield could really use Steven Hill right now. If he keeps this up it won’t be long till he’s there.
I think Boggs’ experience in the big camp has really served him well.
Let’s call him Steven “don’t call me Hank” Hill or Steven “I sell propane and propane accessories” Hill. I’m sorry, it’s stupid and completely makes you dumber as you watch, but I love that show.
Steven “I’m gonna kick the snot out of the opposing hurler on the” Hill
Every day I look at these, Steve Hill is 2-4 with a double .. it just never fails
Hill reminds me of Matt LaPorta in the Brewers system. Both can hit and neither has a position.
BTW how about Hill the Thrill in honor of the pure hitter Will the Thrill.
I was actually at the PBC game on Sunday.
I hung out with David Kopp’s parents, who I happened to meet at the game.
Some thoughts…
1. Ryan was caught leaning off 1B and caught in a run-down.
2. This is a VERY GOOD crop of young Ps at PB. Very clean mechanically. In contrast, Brevard was one mess after another. Inverted L’s, max effort guys, and all that.
3. Kopp pitched well, once he settled down. He started out a bit wild, throwing 92-93. He then backed off to 90-91 and found his groove. His stuff was working great and I think the ump was squeezing him a bit in the first. When he missed, it wasn’t by much. Lots of tail on his ball (definitely a plus FB with the movement). Threw mostly FBs, which I think is good.
4. Mura and Maiques also looked good. Gonzalez wasn’t terrible, but his stuff wasn’t great.
5. I was very impressed with Derba (C). Nice arm and good toughness. Took at big hit at the plate but held onto the ball.
i would like to have seen what kopp could have done yesterday without the piggy back. he was rolling those last 2 innings going 6 up 6 down with 4 strikeouts.
Which early draft would you rather have had in 2005:
Cards: 28-Rasmus, 30-Greene,43-McCormick, 46-Herron, 70-Wilson, 78-Webber
Red Sox: 23-Ellsbury, 26-Hanson, 42-Bucholz, 45-Lowrie, 47-Bowden, 57-Egan
I’d have to choose the Red Sox draft over the Cardinals.
3 wild pitches for eager, too. blech. i have a scouting report submitted by a knowledgeable fan that will go up tomorrow on eager. needless to say he was less then impressed.
i would as well, but the cardinals didn’t even have the chance to take 2 of those guys. the red sox were also picking right before the cardinals on several of those picks, so maybe they took someone we were going to take. i think rasmus is the best position player in that group, but buccholz is the best pitcher. when you take a grouping of buccholz and ellsbury and compare it to rasmus and herron, the duo makes it better. lowrie and bowden also have a chance of being useful, while mccormick is really the only other one on the cardinals list who has a chance.
one other thing you didn’t take into consideration was the later round picks. the cardinals added bryan anderson, jaime garcia, and mitch boggs in the later rounds in that draft. when you add those guys in this gets a lot closer.
I’v just herd that Joe Rogers is out for the year with Tommy John. So who’s gunna get the call to come up from AA? Or will they go a different way with how poor Springfield is doing so far?
Donovan Solano- .333/.375/.467 in 48 PAs…..
Just thought I’d throw that out there.
That’s terrible news about Joe Rogers.
Congrats on the big hat tip from Birdland today, by the way.
Heard that on the radio as well, Phil. That’s a really unfortunate scenario. If I had to guess, the recently demoted Cory Rauschenberger makes a lot of sense for AAA.
While I think this is a long-shot, PJ Walters continues his success at AA. He’s only got about 70 AA innings under his belt, but I wouldn’t mind seeing him move up another level.
pj walters was dominant again tonight. i think he would be up for the challenge.
Donovan Solono also has a .405 BABIP, pretty unsustainable for a guy who’s hitting the ball on the ground 61%. No one is THAT fast.