Bits and Bites

Just a few notes on the minor league happenings that may or may not be news to LADT posters. In any event, here goes.

The Pioneer-Northwest League All-Star game is scheduled for Tuesday at Memorial Stadium in Boise, Idaho. Six Raptors were on the Pioneer League squad, the most of any team in the league. Raptors manager, Austin Chubb, had this to say about his players selected as all-stars.

Malisheski: “Kevin’s been consistent the entire season. His ability to prepare and then execute a game plan has been impressive. He’s earned it.”

 Merrill: “Corey has been fearless out of the bullpen. He hasn’t given up a run yet, so he’s very deserving. He’s been able to use his cutter effectively, and he doesn’t shy away from anybody that he’s facing.”

McWilliams: “Sam has had an unbelievable half – 11 home runs from the second base spot is something you don’t see too often. His ability to put in work with hitting coach Seth Conner has been really fun to watch.”

Lewis: “Really excited for Brandon to get the chance to play in this game. He’s done a nice job bouncing around, DH, first base, third base. He’s been a pleasant surprise defensively, and he can swing the bat. A lot of people don’t know he’s only 20 years old. Really excited for his future, and he’s very deserving of making the all-star team.”

Pages: “Andy has had a tremendous half. It’s been impressive to watch the way he’s been able to change as teams have changed in the way they’ve attacked him. They’ve been throwing him inside and a lot of soft stuff, but I think he’s done a good job, as an 18-year-old kid, being able to deal with that.”

 Littell: “Really, really happy for Jon. He’s a guy who’s a little bit older, but he’s able to execute a game plan and get off his best swing all the time.”

The next Raptor to head to Great Lakes might be Jeff Belge who was selected by the Dodgers in the 18th round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of St. John’s University. If he can display more consistent control he might just be a steal if used in a relief role which has been the case with the Raptors. Now 21, the 6’5’/225-pound left-hander has made 8 appearances with the Raptors sporting a 0.77 ERA over 11.2 innings with 15 strikeouts and 6 walks.

Loons shortstop Leonel Valera has fallen out of the Top 30 prospect list. Just turned 20 he had a very slow start to his season hitting just .229 in the first half. He has found his sea legs and has hit .279 in the second half and .309 in July in 26 games. In his last 10, he has hit .342 with 5 multiple-hit games. He has stolen 23 bases.

Minor League Play-off Picture: 

• DSL Dodgers Shoemaker – eliminated
• DSL Dodgers Bautista 3.5 back
• AZL Dodgers Lasorda 1.5 games back in second half
• AZL Mota – 1 game back in second half
• Ogden Raptors – First half play-off spot
• Great Lakes Loons – First half play-off spot
• RC Quakes – First half play-off spot
• Tulsa Drillers – One game lead in second half
• OKC Dodgers – 18 games back (10 to be eliminated)

Chase Barbary, son of OKC manager Travis Barbary, is with the Loons after spot starts with the RC Quakes and AZL Dodgers. He is the catcher on the move when one is needed to fill in at on a given team.  He was signed as an undrafted free agent with Dodgers organization out of Newberry College. He is a coach in waiting, perhaps to follow the Austin Chubb route.

No longer minor league but Will Smith has caused quite a stir. I expect we all know that he cannot sustain his current pace. Who could? However, it may well be a better hitter in the long run than we expect. Some reports peg him as a .240 hitter/20 home run superbly athletic catcher capable of learning to play other positions. He may not be  a Craig Biggio but there has been only one Craig Biggio. He may well surprise with his batting average over time as he hits so well to the opposite field, with power, and up the middle. He is not strictly a pull hitter and has gotten the hang of the launch angle thing.

Interesting fact. My all-time favorite catcher is Roy Campanella who had his career squeezed on both ends. He was a 26-year-old rookie and had his career ending accident at age 35. Did you know Campanella had the best caught stealing percentage by a catcher in MLB history with a 57.40 percentage? I hate strikeouts. Give me a sacrifice bunt any day over a K. Roy Campanella in his career walked 533 times and struck out 501. He had 30 sacrifice bunts, none bigger than in the seventh game of the 1955 World Series.

Edwin Rios was the Pacific Coast League Offensive Player of the Week for the week of July 29-August  4. .500/.625/1.286, 5 Games, 7-for-14, 2 2B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 7 R, 8 BB, 4 K

Josiah Gray, who seems to have evolved into Jo Jo, was the Texas League Pitcher of the Week for the same period.  2-0, 0.82 ERA, 2 Games, 2 Starts, 11 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HBP, 1 BB, 11 K.

Across all three levels this season, Gray now the Dodgers No. 5 prospect, has a 1.97 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 126 strikeouts and 23 walks over 114 innings. Among Minor League pitchers with at least 80 innings in 2019, he ranks among the top 25 in ERA, WHIP, FIP (2.47) and K/BB (5.5).

“[Pro ball] is something I heard a lot about, but you can’t really understand it until you experience it for yourself,” Gray said of his first full season. “I think all of this is going to pay off really in the long run. This whole year has been about learning how to adjust really quickly. A hop, skip and a jump here. A hop, skip and a jump there. It’s all been about going with the flow, knowing what I can do at every level.”

“The first thing is these guys aren’t swinging and missing as much,” Gray said. “So I have to tailor what I’m trying to do a little different because I know the strikeout numbers aren’t going to be what I want them to be, unless I exploit the other weaknesses I’m seeing. I just have to be aggressive in the zone, knowing they’ll be aggressive too, and take things from there. It’s simple things like that.”

“The first thing is these guys aren’t swinging and missing as much,” Gray said. “So I have to tailor what I’m trying to do a little different because I know the strikeout numbers aren’t going to be what I want them to be, unless I exploit the other weaknesses I’m seeing. I just have to be aggressive in the zone, knowing they’ll be aggressive too, and take things from there. It’s simple things like that.”

Would you trade him for Alex Wood or Yasiel Puig, or Matt Kemp, or Kyle Farmer, or any two?

Really pleased to see Donovan Casey promoted to Tulsa. With Leo Crawford on the same flight to Tulsa, Loons Justin Hagenman might need a ticket to Rancho Cucamonga.