Hard Decisions Coming Up

Kike Hernandez and Edwin Diaz will be back next week (barring a setback). Alex Freeland will have to go back to OKC when that happens... or be traded. That means the end of the line for Charlie Barnes.

Blake Snell will allegedly be back the second week of August. Who goes then? Brock Stewart, Emmet Sheehan, or Eric Lauer? Maybe there is an injury waiting to happen ...

But wait... there's Tyler Glasnow! Tyler Glasnow is probably looking at a late-August return, with early September possible if his back causes another interruption.

As of July 24, he was still throwing fastball-only bullpen sessions and had not yet advanced to facing hitters. The Dodgers want him built up to roughly five innings and 75 pitches, which ordinarily requires at least four rehabilitation starts. MLB’s best-case projection is that he could return near the end of August, but there is no firm date yet. At that point, Lauer or Sheehan could be the casualties, but there is still plenty of time for things to change.

Kyle Tucker has had several moments lately. Can he keep it up? Dalton Rushing is young... and learning. Sometimes it's one step forward and two steps back, but he still has a .797 OPS, and his defense behind the plate has kept the Dodgers #3 in Team ERA, although I'd like to see him get better. The Dodgers starters have the best ERA in baseball, and when Diaz gets back, the bullpen is suddenly very long!

By Mid-August, I think Doc Roberts will "Go to the Whip." Then it will be on! This team is the odds-on favorite to win the World Series, but back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back championships is rare and very difficult. This team has to defy the odds.

Book Update

On another note: my book is done. It is at the third editor right now, and the cover design is almost complete. I think this is likely it:

It is scheduled for a September Release on Amazon...

OKC Comets 8 – Sacramento River Cats (Giants) 2

OKC scored three in the initial frame.  3B Kiké Hernández singled with 1 out.  LF Ryan Ward drew a 2-out BB.  2B Hyeseong Kim singled to score Kiké.  1B Matt Gorski doubled (2) home Ward and Kim for a 3-0 lead. 

LHSP Blake Snell started for OKC and increased his IP to 2.2 and his pitch count to 49.  Snell has never been an efficient pitcher, so 49 pitches in 2.2 IP is not all that alarming.  He allowed 2 hits, did not walk a batter, and struck out 3. 

In the 3rd, Snell left a runner on 1st with 2 outs.  RHRP José Rodríguez relieved Snell.  Rodríguez threw a WP to his 1st batter, and the runner was now on 2nd.  Rodríguez then gave up a run-scoring single.  

In the 4th with Rodríguez still pitching, he got the first two outs but then a single, BB, and double scored a run.  

OKC picked up 3 in the 5th when Kim drew a BB and scored when Gorski hit his 1st HR.  RF Jack Suwinski followed that with a solo HR (20). 

OKC opened it up in the 7th with 2 more runs.  Kim and Suwinski walked, and with 2 outs C Griffin Lockwood-Powell doubled home both runners. 

·      Kiké Hernández - 2-4, 1 run, double (4)

·      Alek Thomas – 2-5

·      Hyeseong Kim – 2-3, 2 BB, 3 runs

·      Matt Gorski – 2-5, 1 run, 4 RBI, double (1), HR (1)

·      Jack Suwinski – 2-4, 1 BB, 2 runs, 1 RBI

·      Griffin Lockwood-Powell – 2-5, 2 RBI, 2 doubles (2)

Box Score 

Arkansas Travelers (Seattle) 8 – Tulsa Drillers 0 

LHSP Adam Serwinowski had an off night.  He did push it for 6 innings, but he gave up 6 runs on 5 hits and 3 BB.  Three of those runs came on HRs. 

In the end it did not matter, but it might have been a better experience for Serwinowski if he had come out after 6.0 innings and not come back out in the 7th.  He gave up a BB and a 2-run HR in the 3rd, and a solo HR in the 4th.  

In the 7th, Serwinowski walked the first two batters and a run scoring double before LHRP Evan Shaw relieved him.  Shaw inherited runners on 2nd and 3rd with 0 outs and proceeded to give up a pair of doubles and a single for 4 runs.  Two of the runs were charged to Serwinowski and two to Shaw. 

Three Arkansas pitchers went into the 9th with 2 outs before 2B Sam Mongelli broke up the perfect game with an infield single. 

Give credit to Arkansas for a brilliantly pitched game.  They shut down a good offensive Tulsa team.  Seattle already blessed with a top rotation, has LHSP Kade Anderson.  He pitched the 1st 5.0 innings with 7 K.  His AA ERA in 15 starts (77.2 IP) is down to 1.27.  He has 115 K and 10 BB.  He is an elite pitcher that has just dominated this year. 

Box Score

Lansing Lugnuts (A’s) 3 – Great Lakes Loons 1 

The Loons had 3 hits on the night.  One of those hits was a 2-out HR (12) in the first by SS Emil Morales.  That was the sole run for GL.  They were shut out the rest of the game with two doubles by CF Charles Davalan (22) and 2B Logan Wagner (18).  The Loons did receive 4 BB, but struck out 10 times.  They were 0-7 wRISP. 

LHSP Zach Root started and went 5.2 IP.  He issued 6 walks, and the walks contributed a great deal to the 3 runs.  

In the 2nd, the first runner reached on E6.  The next two batters reached on BBs.  The run scored on a GIDP. 

In the 3rd, with one out, the next batter walked and moved to 2nd on a WP.  The next batter singled to bring home the runner.  The runner stole both 2nd and 3rd and scored on a groundout. 

Loons LHRP Matt Lanzendorfer got the final out of the 6th and pitched a perfect 7th.  He registered 1 K in his 1.1 IP. 

RHRP Davis Chastain pitched a perfect 9th with a K. 

Box Score

Ontario Tower Buzzers 9 - San Jose Giants 8  

In the 2nd inning, 1B Easton Shelton led off by hitting his 31st HR moving him ahead of Manuel Pena who went 0-4 in their game. 

In the 3rd, 2B Javier Herrera doubled (7) with one out.  CF Jaron Elkins drew a BB.  Herrera and Elkins moved to 3rd and 2nd on a pickoff throwing error.  Herrera scored and Elkins moved to 3rd on 3B Mairo Martinus’ SF.  Elkins scored on a balk. 

In the 3rd, RHSP Mason Estrada gave up a single and BB.  A double steal put runners on 2nd and 3rd.  With one out, a SF brought home 1.  Now with 2 outs, he walked the next two batters to load the bases, and then gave up a grand slam. 

Down 5-3 in the 6th, Martinus led off with a HR (13).  RF Ching-Hsien Ko followed with a single and Shelton walked.  SS Joendry Vargas singled to score Ko and Shelton to 3rd.  Vargas was caught trying to steal 2nd but the throw to the plate to get Shelton was wild and Shelton scored. 

In the bottom of the 6th, San Jose scored 2 to retake the lead.  RHRP Jhonny Jimenez was in his 2nd inning.  He gave up a single, SB, and with one out, a second SB put the tying run on 3rd.  Jimenez then walked the next batter.  When the runner on 1st attempted to steal 2nd, Jimenez threw a WP with one run scoring and the runner moving to 3rd, and scored on an E5.  

Ontario scored an unearned run in the top of the 9th.  LF Brendan Tunink struck out but reached 1B on a WP.  Tunink stole 2B and continued to 3B on catcher’s throwing error.  Tunink scored on a WP to tie the game. 

RHRP Accimias Morales pitched a scoreless 7th and 8th inning, while RHRP Jose Vasquez pitched a scoreless 9th. 

In the 10th, Martinus was the placed runner at 2B.  Martinus moved to 3rd on a WP.  Ko walked, and after a K, Martinus scored when Vargas reached on a force out.  Tunink walked, and Vargas scored when DH Oswaldo Osorio singled. 

With Vasquez pitching his 2nd inning, the placed runner scored when the leadoff hitter singled.  With one out, the next batter singled to put runners on 1st and 2nd. Vasquez then induced a GIDP for the win. 

·      Oswaldo Osorio – 2-5, 1 RBI, double (2)

·      Javier Herrera – 2-4, 1 run, double (7)

·      Easton Shelton – 1-4, 1 BB, 2 runs, 1 RBI, HR (31)

·      Mairo Martinus – 1-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI, SF, HR (13) 

Box Score