Check it out, it’s a good read.

The Good:

On the ninth anniversary of Mike Mussina’s near perfect game against Boston, CC (19-5) went eight innings and gave up just one hit with five strikeouts to three walks. The A’s failed to hit a ball out of the infield from the second inning until Coco Crisp’s fly ball to right in the eighth inning. CC did it all on just 95 pitches, with 58 going for strikes.

With the win, CC tied Whitey Ford’s record for consecutive home starts without a loss (21) and is 16-0 over that span. Over his previous 20 home starts coming in (since ‘09 All-Star Break), CC was 15-0 with a 2.17 ERA. Wow.

Grandy, who went 2-for-3 with two homers and three RBI on Thursday, has 31 hits vs. lefties this season (after missing a month), he had 33 against LHP all of last season. He is now 10-for-24 against LHP since working with Kevin Long. It was his six career multi-homer game and second this season.

A-Rod tested out his injured calf by fielding ground balls and taking batting practice, and Pettitte is on schedule to make his simulated start on Saturday.

As I predicted the other day, Javy will start over Moseley on Saturday.

Dallas Braden left the game in the sixth inning with cramps…I’ll leave it up to you to insert the proper joke.

The Bad:

Jeter, who went 1-for-4 on Thursday, is now 12 for his last 75 (.160). He came into Thursday hitting .238 since August 1 and .155 since August 14. Yikes. But Girardi still thinks he’s a good candidate for the leadoff spot.

Swish Dog left the game after his first at-bat with a stiff left knee and is listed as day-to-day.

Marcus Thames has cooled off considerably, he is 1 for his last 10 with five strikeouts.

At Wednesday’s game, in which I moved to 6-0 this season, I dropped a ball that Swish Dog threw to me after he caught the final out of the first inning. What I’m trying to say is that I suck at life. Although I did sit right in front of head Bleacher Creature Bald Vinny, so I got that going for me.

In other news, A-Rod has left agent Scott Boras and has been spending time with Hollywood agent Guy Oseary. That’s according to SI.com.

Girardi on CC:

The big thing about CC is CC doesn’t beat himself, he doesn’t walk people and he doesn’t give extra base runners.

Swish Dog on his injury:

It feels fine, I fouled it off the same spot (I hurt the other day). I got a lot of treatment, got a lot of ice, I’ll come back tomorrow and see how it feels.

Bowling over Brett Hayes

Look, I understand the high stakes of a 0-0 game between two division foes, even if both teams are pretty well out of contention. However,  just watching the play that occurred in the top of the 10th inning of that game makes you cringe a bit. Marlins reliever Clay Hensley walked both Morgan and Alberto Gonzalez on before inducing a weak ground ball from Adam Kennedy. The ball headed up the middle, where it was picked up by Donnie Murphy and flipped to Hanley Ramirez for the out at second base. Because of the weak nature of the grounder, it seems like the Fish had no shot at the double play on Kennedy, which would have ended the inning. However, the Fish had an opportunity for another out because the speedy Morgan took off for home from second base prompting a throw from Hanley.

Now, watch the linked lay as it unfolds. You can see that Hanley’s throw is a bit high and appears to be a little late for a tag as a result. A throw closer to the bag or lower overall could have resulted in a close play at the plate if Morgan slides. However, this becomes irrelevant as Morgan decides instead to run Hayes over to force the ball out of his hands. The resulting collision is, as most catcher-runner collisions, a good deal cringe-worthy to me. Hayes has a little bit of time to prepare (he does turn in his arms and shoulder) but is still in a bit of a vulnerable position nonetheless.

This play would have been an afterthought if it weren’t for the fact that, as Rich Waltz was quick to point out on the TV broadcast, had Morgan simply slid instead of going for the tackle route to home, he likely would have been safe! The throw from Hanley was high enough and Morgan was close enough to the plate at that point that a slide would have been low enough to beat a tag attempt. Instead, Morgan went for the more confrontational and dangerous route, and sure enough the play led to a dislocated shoulder for Hayes. My opinion is that a slide would have a more professional and intelligent baserunning move than the one Morgan went with, but it should not surprise any of us that Morgan went with the bad baserunning play; he is well known around the league for being fast but unintelligent on the basepaths.

“Professionally” hitting Morgan

The following evening, once the Marlins took a large enough lead to prevent any game-related problems, they retaliated against Morgan. In the fourth inning, with the Marlins up 11 runs, starter Chris Volstad beaned Morgan in the hip. Morgan took his base and followed up with two more bases, stealing both second and third. Unhappy with that activity, Volstad threw behind Morgan in the 6th inning when he came up again, causing him to charge the mound, throw a punch at Volstad, and receive a blindsiding clothesline from Gaby Sanchez. Once the resulting brawl ends, Morgan comes out of the pile pumped and excited, met by the boos of the crowd.

How should we react to the situation? Well, I’ll say that I do not approve of the retaliatory methods employed by major league baseball players. Baseballs thrown at 90+ mph (or even slower, for that matter) are weapons, whether they are thrown at the hips or at the head. It seems like a dumb idea in general to throw these things at players for retaliation for most “transgressions” of baseball’s so-called unwritten rules. Having said that, if we were to follow the unwritten rules, it is pretty clear that Morgan did not follow them. The play at the plate from the previous night was at best of questionable nature, and the Marlins were probably in line for beaning Morgan. Waltz deemed the job “professionally” done, meaning that Volstad did not go for the head and did not put excessive heat on the ball.

Had Morgan left it at that, I think the Marlins would have been finished with the situation. The beaning served as retaliation for the rough play at the plate, but it seems Morgan thought that it was unnecessary to bean him and responded by stealing second and third with his team down 11 runs. Truthfully, I don’t think this was a heinous play. Yes, the Nationals were down a lot, but were they supposed to simply give up on the game? If Morgan felt the bases were open for taking, it seems natural that he should attempt it. However, the unwritten rules say that both teams should have let off the gas pedal a bit with the score as it was, and stealing was most certainly was “out of line.” However, no matter the thought process going into the situation, it was clear that Morgan’s charging the mound was inappropriate. Morgan got the first punch in as well, throwing a left straight at Volstad before being run over by Sanchez.

The Marlins have said that their beef with the Nationals is over. I’d be inclined to believe them, but I would not be surprised if the Fish sent another pitch Morgan’s way when the two teams meet later this month at Nationals Park. I suspect that, at the very least, Morgan will have some choice words for the team, as he is always prone to running his mouth a bit. Let’s hope any potential future affair won’t lead to suspensions on either side.

Moore also leads the league in doubles (43) and extra base hits (75) and trails only Royals prospect Eric Hosmer with a .541 slugging percentage. In a six-week span starting July 15, Moore won the Carolina League player of the week four times and posted a mind-boggling 1.400 OPS. Moore leads the Carolina League with 113 RBI and 29 home runs, 19 of which have been since July 15.

What an amazing season for Moore.  We have been tracking him all season, much like we do with all the Nationals affiliated in our weekday minor league report summary.  He auditioned his power last season hitting 9 home runs, but driving in a nice 87 runs at Hagerstown.  That was enough to earn him a promotion this season to Potomac. 

For the first two months of the season, Moore regularly displayed his hitting power, but struggled at the batting average, hovering below the Mendoza line of .200.   But, Moore exploded since July, hitting 129 home runs since mid-July.  He raised his normal .192 batting average to current .262. 

Not only does he rank among the Carolian league leaders, but Moore leads the washington Nationals minor league system in home runs, RBI, slugging percentage and doubles.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Natosphere sounds off on Nyjer Morgan
• The Morgan Brawl video
• Nats Minor Rep: Solis throws 2 scoreless
• Strasburg need to look no further than Zimmermann
• Nats announce Arizona league invitees

This week is dominated by a couple of teams: New York teams, the Cubs, and the Phillies combine to account for eight of this week’s ten players. I guess I’m East Coast biased this week! In particular, we’ll look at two promising Phillies pitchers, a rare Yankee disappointment, and a Cubs catcher with absurd numbers.

That and more after the jump!

Hot Shots

Jenrry Mejia, RHP, Mets—Mejia is back in Flushing as of today, being one of the first September callus for the Mets.

The Mejia saga is well-documented at this point: the top starter prospect was given an ill-advised rush to the majors as a 20-year-old reliever largely due to manager Jerry Manuel’s stubbornness, predictably struggled against the advanced competition, and was finally dispatched back to the minors as a starter almost halfway into the season.

Well, it could all work out in the end, as Mejia threw nine starts of 1.28 ERA ball, whiffing 45 and walking just 16 in 42 1/3 innings. His first Triple-A start featured eight innings, one run, one walk, and nine strikeouts.

Mejia is still very young and somewhat raw, so expecting him to be a front-of-the-rotation pitcher now is unrealistic. Still, he’s a hard thrower with good command (for his age, anyway) and a good changeup. Mejia also keeps the ball down exceptionally well. I’m still cautiously optimistic about his potential, but Manuel’s meddling does cast a shadow of doubt here. It’s good to see that Mejia went right back to dominating as a starter in the minors, though: it does show some real resilience.

Trevor May, RHP, Phillies (Low-A)—May is three weeks older than Mejia, and yet he’s still fairly young for the South Atlantic League. The 2008 fourth-rounder’s command problems ate him up in High-A (61 walks in 70 innings), causing him to post an ERA over 5.00, but he did show good strikeout ability, whiffing 90.

A demotion to Low-A followed (that walk rate will do it), and the whiffs only intensified, but the bases on balls largely disappeared. May has an 85/19 K/BB in 59 innings at the lower level, including a 39/7 ratio against lefties.

May’s plus changeup is what helps him with those lefties, and he also works in the low-90’s with his fastball while mixing in a good curveball. Pitchers have won many games with worse stuff than his, that’s for sure. If these gains in command are for real, we could be looking at a potential #2 starter down the line—pitchers with this sort of strikeout ability don’t come along very often, although the Phillies seem to be stockpiling a few (most notably Austin Hyatt).

Robinson Chirinos, C, Cubs (AAA)—Chirinos is making me give serious thought to the idea of putting a 26-year-old who spent most of the year in Double-A on my Top 100 Prospects list.

Let’s inventory his skills.

He catches. That’s one.

He catches well, throwing out about a third of basestealers and allowing just five passed balls this year. That’s two.

He’s also got experience at all four infield spots. That’s three.

He hit .318 this year in Double-A and struck out just 35 times in 77 games. That’s four.

He ripped 24 doubles and 15 homers in those 77 games, slugging .580. That’s five.

He walked more (42) than he struck out (35). That’s six.

Ahh, okay, so he went just 1-for-6 in steals. Oh well. Chirinos does literally everything else well.

A late-season promotion to Triple-A has seen the backstop hit .333/.407/.542 in 13 games, right there with the .318/.412/.580 line he had at the lower level.

Players who can make consistent contact, hit the ball out of the park, and play good defense behind the plate are extremely rare. Chirinos is something of an enigma given his advanced age, but there’s no question that he’s an extremely interesting prospect, June 1984 birthday or not.

Slumping Stars

Brandon Laird, 3B, Yankees (AAA)—The last few issues of TWiP seem to always feature strong performances by Yankee farmhands (Manny Banuelos, Andrew Brackman, David Phelps, Nik Turley, etc.), but not everything is sunny for Yankee prospects.

Laird, 22, had crushed the ball at a .291/.355/.523 clip in Double-A, but a 24-game stint in Triple-A has been a disaster, as he’s put up a 26/4 K/BB while batting .211/.240/.305.

With 21 errors on the season, Laird may not even be able to stick at third long-term, and his plate approach is troubling. He seems to me to be the sort of guy whose aggressiveness at the dish just won’t translate to the majors well, a la Jake Fox. Laird’s young enough to make some strides in that area of his game, but given the Yankees 1B/3B situation, he’d have to put up mind-blowing numbers to get much attention, and he looks like a one-dimensional player who isn’t likely to make that happen.

Angel Salome, C/OF, Brewers (High-A)—Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

Salome hit .360/.415/.559 in Double-A two years ago, and .286/.334/.413 in Triple-A last year, but he’s been left down in High-A for almost all of 2010, and has hit just .279/.340/.403 there.

At 24, he’s far from young for that level, and he’s also almost exclusively DHed, spending four games in right field and none at catcher.

In other words, pretty much everything that made Salome such an intriguing prospect in the first place is gone.

Craig Clark, LHP, Giants (Low-A)—The jump from High-A to Double-A kills a ton of prospects every year, and Clark is the classic soft-tosser who got exposed against quality hitters.

With a low-to-mid-80’s fastball and no plus offspeed stuff, it was a marvel that Clark was consistently able to whiff nearly a batter an inning all the way up through High-A, which had some thinking he could be another Kirk Rueter for the Giants.

That hope was effectively put to rest with nine poor Double-A starts that saw Clark’s formerly impressive K/BB (135/36 and 111/23 in 2009 and 2008) dwindle to 23/21 in 42 2/3 innings.

The Giants were so disillusioned by the 26-year-old that they sent him to Low-A, where he posted a 5.45 ERA in seven starts (albeit with a 35/10 K/BB).

So, Clark’s now 26 and has been demoted to a long relief role in Low-A. His stuff gave him long odds of making the majors in the first place; now it’s just ridiculous.

Sleeper Alert!

Trey McNutt, RHP, Cubs (AA)—Okay, so McNutt’s allowed seven earned runs in 9 2/3 Double-A innings. That doesn’t diminish one of the minors’ best pitching seasons.

A 32^nd-round pick last year, McNutt opened the year by posting a 1.51 ERA in 13 Low-A starts, allowing no homers and whiffing 70 in 59 2/3 innings. He then went on to High-A and put up a 49/9 K/BB in 41 frames, earning a promotion to Double-A. All this from an unheralded guy who just turned 21.

The righty works off a low-90’s sinker that touches 95 mph, and his curveball and changeup both show promise. Like Chirinos, Chris Archer, and others, McNutt is among a ton of formerly C-grade Cubs prospects who have taken big steps forward in 2010.

Matt den Dekker, OF, Mets (Low-A)—Few 2010 draftees can claim better statistical starts than fifth-rounder Den Dekker, who’s hit .413/.478/.550 in Low-A in 21 games.

Now, he won’t keep hitting over .400 striking out once a game, but Den Dekker has quality contact skills and gap power that are already showing up in pro ball.

He also possesses nice speed and is considered a plus defender in center field.

At 23, Den Dekker is getting a late start in pro ball, but he looks like he could start 2011 in High-A, which will get him closer to most prospects his age. If he cuts his strikeouts down, he could be a quality starting MLB center fielder, and a fifth-round steal.

Julio Rodriguez, RHP, Phillies (Low-A)—Rodriguez may be even more intriguing than his teammate May, as he’s 11 months younger and has whiffed a ridiculous 79 batters in 50 1/3 innings.

The Puerto Rican righthander has bounced between starting and relieving, but has been dominant in both roles.

An eighth-round pick in 2008, Rodriguez is a physical specimen with good arm strength and projection. He already throws 87-92 mph and could gain another tick or two down the line. His second pitch is a big, slow curveball, and he’s working on his changeup.

Anyone with these sorts of numbers (and like I mentioned with May, the Phillies seem to have quite a few of these guys) deserves to be watched carefully, and Rodriguez just turned 20, so he has youth on his side.

The Quadruple-A Special

Tagg Bozied, 1B/3B, Phillies (AA)—For the second time this year, I’m going with a Double-A player as the Quad-A Special. The first was Paul McAnulty, who later would be promoted to Triple-A and the majors with the Angels.

The hulking Bozied has done plenty of damage in Triple-A in the past, so Double-A has just been too easy for him, as he’s hit .318/.405/.622 even in the pitcher-friendly Eastern League. He also hit a ridiculous 11 homers in August, bashing an unreal .374/.470/.778 in the month.

Bozied, 31, hit .288/.360/.447 in Triple-A last year and .306/.382/.569 the year before, and he’s had plenty of success there in his career. He’s been working on becoming an acceptable defender at third base this year, as he’s been mostly confined to first in the past. He also has some outfield experience.

You certainly can’t deny Bozied’s offensive output, and if he can play four positions passably, he’s got to have some use as an NL reserve. At his age, it’s probably too late, but one can hope.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Top Prospect Freddie Freeman made his long awaited debut for the Braves in last night's game. Photo Courtesy of Tim Evearitt.

September 2, 2010 – 7:10 PM Peachtree TV
New York Mets (65-68) Vs. Atlanta Braves (78-55)

Site Announcement: First an apology for the lack of updates recently. We have been working through some things here that have taken all of our spare time and have not been to adequately give the coverage that we are used to. Hopefully things will be getting back to normal around here soon.

What to Watch For: The Braves come into tonight seeking their sixth straight win and a series sweep of the New York Mets. It is no secret that Tim Hudson has been the teams best pitcher this season and will be going for his 16th win of the season. A case could be made that Hudson is the Braves team MVP this season as no one really expected this kind of season coming off of Tommy John surgery. Jason Heyward has been red hot hitting .520 over the last seven days and has raised his season average up to .284. Matt Diaz carries a lifetime .533 batting average into tonight’s game against Mets starter Johan Santana.

Tim Hudson

Vs.

Johan Santana

The Mets against Tim Hudson

The Braves against Johan Santana

With the Reds trailing 1-0 to the Milwaukee Brewers, Reds manager Dusty Baker inserted Chapman in the top of the 7th inning. Starter Johnny Cueto had pitched 6 nice innings (1 R, 6 H, 1 BB, 2 K) and deserved a better fate, but he was at 108 pitches (64 for strikes). Chapman pulled a repeat performance of Tuesday: three up, three down…and topping out at an official 103.9 mph. 103.9 mph was the fastest pitch clocked in MLB in three years! In the two innings during Chapman’s brief career: 2 IP, 0H, 0R, 3K, 6 batters faced. No words can factually describe how this kid has electrified and entire franchise and fanbase.

The cast:
Miguel Cairo. Once again, the super sub came through in the clutch. Cairo started at second base. With Brandon Phillips still on the mend and Chris Valaika receiving a day off, Cairo once again displayed why he’s on the roster. In the bottom of the now fateful (to the Brewers) 7th inning, Cairo laced a double into the left field gap off loser and former Red Todd Coffey, plating Phillips, who was pinch-running for Ramon Hernandez. That hit knotted the score at 1-1. For the game, Cairo was 2-3, 1 R, 1 RBI.

Ryan Hanigan. Reds fans should be over the point where anything this kid does with a bat actually surprises them. Except when Hanny pulls off a three-run, pinch-hit homer. The first pinch-hit homer of his career. Baker sent Hanigan to pinch-hit for Chapman. Seemed odd maybe at first. Baker had lefties on the bench (Juan Francisco and Yonder Alonso), but Baker felt more comfortable with the more expreienced right-handed bat of Hanigan. The hunch paid off big. After the upper deck shot, it was Reds 4, Brewers 1.

Scott Rolen. We know of his leadership. We know of his steady play. We know of his bat and glove. Both were on display last night. The bat provided the final two runs in the 6-1 win. The glove (and arm) dazzled the crowd of 16,412 at Great American with no less than three defensive gems. We hear all the chants for Votto as the NL MVP, how about Rolen receiving a Gold Glove? More than deserving.

One last point about last night’s contest. Was it me or did seem odd that Brewers manager Ken Macha yanked starter Chris Narveson rather hastily in the 7th? Narveson has struck out Jonny Gomes to begin the inning and walked Ramon Hernandez. Macha, who was extremely hesitant to go to his bullpen in the first two games of the series, quickly popped out of the dugout to replace Narveson with Coffey. Narveson was the Brewers up to that point. He was cruising throught the Reds lineup to that point (97 pitches, 57 for strikes, 2 H, 2 BB, 6 K) Plus, Narveson had driven in the only run of the game with a single in the 5th. To make the decision look even more questionable, Coffey failed to retire a single batter.

Lost in all the hoopla of another Reds win coupled with another Cardinals loss (5-2 to Houston. Thanks, Astros!) extending the NL Central lead to an astounding 8 games, was the major league debut of Yonder Alonso. The Reds top pick from 2009 entered the game as a pinch-hitter during the bottom of the 7th. Not as successful a debut as Chapman had (a weak groundout to the pitcher), but Alonso will get his hacks.

Given the incidences of Nyjer Morgan and his play the last few weeks, we decided to take a peak around the Natosphere and bring you an array of what the Washington Nationals bloggers th8ink of Nyjer Morgan and his future in Washington. 

In case you missed it, one night after Morgan plowed into Marlins C Breet Hayes, Marlins P Chris Volstad throws behind Morgan, causing Morgan to charge the mound and incite a brawl on the diamond.  This is after Volstad already hit Morgan once, and Morgan retaliated by stealing 2nd and 3rd bases.  Wow, there you go, what a rudimentary summary.  Regardless, so what the heck does Nats blogosphere think.  We will show you . . .

From Nationals Inquisition . . .

I can see no reason why the Marlins shouldn’t take majority if not all blame for the “fracas” last night. They potentially retaliated for the Hayes incident at least three times before the sixth-inning by hitting Morgan and two other Nationals with pitches. Why was that needed? The Marlins had a near 15-run lead. When is enough enough for the Fish? Morgan took one blow and that is expected. Two blows and something needed to be done. Chris Volstad exposed himself as a punk.   Nyjer needs to cut the reaction to the fans. The throwing up the hands in victory after a fight, the cussing, the ball tossing– really it is the only thing I can ding him on. If he wants to cuss and yell at the fans, do it into your glove, not on camera and Youtube. That is embarrassing to Natstown.

From our friend at Nats News Network . . . READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP

Morgan wasn’t trying to get his team back in the game.  He was trying to show the Marlins that getting hit didn’t hurt him.  He was, simply, showing up the pitcher in a game that was already contentious.  And Manager Jim Riggleman was wrong not putting the stop sign on … Last night, in addition to injuring the Marlins catcher, he again engaged fans (caught on video) with expletives, while on the field.  Morgan has been playing recklessly and with anger since Riggleman moved him down into the eighth spot in the lineup early in the Cardinals series.  Morgan now has established a pattern of disregard for the safety of the players on the field… He needs to be sat down, whether by suspension or by his team, before anyone else gets hurt.

From William Yurakso . . .

The Nats have a real problem with Morgan. the centerfielder’s instability is hurting himself and his team. Morgan really needs to sit, perhaps for the rest of the season, and is certainly going to be suspended for his actions last night …I don’t have a problem with that necessarily because Morgan is too volatile right now. Also, Riggleman’s handling of the situation has been poor. Apparently, neither Morgan or Riggleman has lost he clubhouse, but maybe they should have — the team doesn’t need to deal with any of this nonsense. I don’t think I have a problem with Morgan never playing for the Nats again.

From Federal Baseball . . .

Can you honestly argue that Morgan’s decision to steal the bases was solely about trying to get the Nats within 10 runs and cut down on the lead? Do you believe that? I think Morgan’s decision to respond negatively to his manager’s comments in the press recently was a poor one. I think his decision to run the Cardinals’ catcher was a poor one. Should he have stolen the bases? Harold Reynolds doesn’t think so, Rayn Zimmerman along with some of Morgan’s teammates questioned the decision, but Morgan decided what he thought was the correct response. If he’s given the opportunity to make his own choices and makes poor choices each time, isn’t it about time you took the power to make those decisions out of his hands? Something tells me MLB is going to make the decision Jim Riggleman says he wasn’t willing to, and “put the hold on him.”

From Nats 320 . . .

The Florida Marlins had every reason to be pissed off at Nyjer Morgan this evening and that’s why they threw behind his head, AGAIN, two innings later in the top of the 6th. The final volley that erupted into the biggest scrum involving Our Washington Nationals in recent memory.

But it didn’t have to be this way. Nyjer should have just taken it like a man.But what everyone will remember at the end of the day was Nyjer Morgan being taken off the field, jersey pulled completely out of his pants, marched to the dugout by Bullpen Catcher, Nilson Robledo. And seeing Nyjer Morgan raise both hands in triumph to the fans of The Florida Marlins.   Rocky this was not. Embarrassment was more like it.  Nyjer Morgan seems to be playing with anger in his heart. And that’s not the type of play The African Queen and I can not support.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Tyler Moore is Carolina League MVP
• The Morgan Brawl video
• Nats Minor Rep: Solis throws 2 scoreless
• Strasburg need to look no further than Zimmermann
• Nats announce Arizona league invitees

Possibly Related Posts:

• Tyler Moore is Carolina League MVP
• Natosphere sounds off on Nyjer Morgan
• Nats Minor Rep: Solis throws 2 scoreless
• Strasburg need to look no further than Zimmermann
• Nats announce Arizona league invitees

So, who do I think the Cards should call up to finish the year and make one last desperate push? FanSided MLB Director Wally Fish organized a collaborative post to answer that question. My answer can be found over at Call to the Pen.

It may be surprising, but considering the Cardinals current state a little shake-up can’t hurt.

Be sure to check it out along with the other responses. The Reds answer was simple and better and had something to do with a guy throwing 105 mph. This season is just getting worse and worse for the Cards.

Harrisburg Senators (AA) won 2-1 behind a good start by Tanner Roark.  Roark threw 6.1 innings and scattered 5 hits and 1 run.  Cole Kimball threw a scoreless 9^th to earn his 11^th AA save and his 17^th save overall, lowering his combined ERA to 2.00.  Josh Johnson was 2 for 3 with 2 doubles and 2 runs scored. 

Potomac Nationals won 4-2.  Marcus Frias (7-5) threw 6 innings allowed 3 hits and 1 unearned run to earn the win.  Patrick McCoy picked up save number 5 and is 2-1 with 5 saves and a 2.86 ERA on the year.  Robert Jacobsen was 2 for 3 with a double and a run scored.  Tyler Moore was 2 for 4 with a run.  Daniel Lyons and Chris Curren each added two hits on the night. 

Hagerstown Suns (A) bombed Lexington 9-1.  Second round pick Sammy Solis pitched his first 2 professional innings and did not allow a hit or run, but recorded 1 strikeout.  Paul Applebee (6-5) went the rest of the way, throwing 7 innings and allowing just 1 run on 5 strikeouts.  Rick Hague doubled, went 2 for 5 and scored twice.  The 2010 third rounder is batting .310.  Justino Cuevas was 2 for 4 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI.  JP Ramirez was 2 for 5 with a double, 2 runs and 2 RBI.  Eury Perez was 2 for 3 and raised his batting average to .298, on the cusp of .300.  Adrian Nieto homered for the Suns. 

Vermont Lake Monsters (Short A) won 6-4.  Mark Grace through 4.2 innings allowing 3 hits and 2 runs.  Dustin Crane (2-2) picked up the win in relief throwing 3 scoreless innings.  Blake Kelso was 2 for 3 with 2 runs.  He is batting .311.  Russell Moldenhauer was 2 for 4 with a double and 2 RBI.  Ronnie Labrie also added 2 hits

Possibly Related Posts:

• Tyler Moore is Carolina League MVP
• Natosphere sounds off on Nyjer Morgan
• The Morgan Brawl video
• Strasburg need to look no further than Zimmermann
• Nats announce Arizona league invitees

As Matt pointed out in the recap of Tuesday’s game, the season for the Tigers is essentially over. With that in mind, I’ve decided to approach the rest of the year as if standings didn’t exist. We’ll see how long that lasts, but I’m hopeful that I can stay away from the doom and gloom pieces down the stretch.

The Tigers fell to 1-7 at Minnesota’s new Target Field and as Mickey York said after the game, I’m kinda starting to miss the Metrodome. You simply cannot say enough about the performance that Max Scherzer gave last night, but his outing was marred by a lacked of support and then by a lack of relief.

The Tigers had runners on the bases frequently early in the ballgame against Francisco Liriano, but each time they threatened, Liriano was able to wiggle off the hook. Meanwhile, Scherzer was working with efficiency and effectiveness throughout the first four innings.

In the fifth, the Twins finally managed to record their first hit, a double down the right field line by Delmon Young on the first pitch of the at bat. Danny Valencia singled on the next pitch to move Young to third. Then Jose Morales sent a deep drive to center field that Austin Jackson had little chance to catch.

Like he’s done so many times this year, however, Jackson was able to run it down, making a marvelous over-the-shoulder catch as he approached the wall. Young was able to tag and score, but Valencia was easy pickings as he tried to get back to first.

The score would stay 1-0 Twins until the eighth when Liriano was no longer in the game. Jackson began the inning with a single and two batters and two pitchers later was still standing at first. Matt Guerrier was summoned to pitch to Miguel Cabrera, but eventually lost him to a walk. That set the stage for Jhonny Peralta to tie the game with soft line drive single to center.

The Tigers finally went to the bullpen in the tenth and Ryan Perry wasted no time in digging himself a hole. Perry, you’ll recall, walked in the tying run on Tuesday before allowing a game-winning single to the next batter. Both of those runs were charged to Phil Coke. Last night, Perry had no one to blame but himself.

Three batters, that’s all he faced. Perry gave up a lead-off single to Michael Cuddyer, who stole second base when Young struck out on a 3-2 pitch. The next batter was Valencia, a rookie, who was hitting .394 with RISP coming into the at bat. Valencia bats right handed and the on-deck batter, Morales, would hit from the left side. Perhaps that’s why they elected to go after Valencia instead of the much less experienced Morales. Maybe they were worried that Jason Kubel might be used to pinch hit should the game come down to Morales. Whatever the reason, Perry pitched to Valencia, and the Twins third baseman won the game with a sharp single to center.

The only silver lining in the game last night was Scherzer. Max continued to dominate opposing clubs, just as he has since being recalled from Triple-A back in May. He threw just 106 pitches while recording 27 outs. He allowed only four hits and one walk while striking out nine Minnesota batters. The Tigers dreamt of the possibilities of sending three aces to the mound before the season began. That hasn’t gone as planned for much of the season, but lately, Scherzer and Rick Porcello have joined Justin Verlander in turning in stellar performances. The future of the rotation looks bright.

The problems for the Tigers in this series have been two-fold, but neither involves the starting pitching. On Tuesday, Armando Galarraga pitched well enough, especially when you factor in that he was facing his personal kryptonite in the Twins. Tigers starters have combined to hold Minnesota to just three runs over 15 innings in this series, but in 19 innings of baseball, the offense has managed only four runs versus Minnesota.

Perry gave up the lead on Tuesday and he did so again last night. Coke wasn’t able to do his job on Tuesday, either, loading the bases before Perry came in. A bullpen that was so dominate early in the season has faltered a great deal in the second half. It will be interesting to see how Leyland handles to final few weeks of the season. Will he give Robbie Weinhardt some late-inning chances? I hope so because Perry doesn’t throw enough strikes to be trusted late in games.

There has been some chatter once again this year about the Tigers needing to part ways with Joel Zumaya in the offseason. He hasn’t been able to stay healthy and fans are growing tired of waiting on it to happen. There is no way the Tigers non-tender Zumaya, people. He’s still young and still pretty cheap (he made less than $1 million this year), and the reward far outweighs the risk of keeping him around.

Want proof? Look at the last two games. It’s worth a million bucks to the Tigers to see if next year, Zumaya might be the guy taking the ball in those situations instead of Perry.

“See the ball, hit the ball”–Cal Ripken, Sr.

“If you throw a shutout and the team doesn’t score any runs for you, you’re not going to win.”

Whoa!  Whoa.  What are you talking about, Roy Oswalt?  Not scoring runs for a quality starter is how you play baseball.  Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s how Abner Doubleday designed the sport.  A pitcher comes out, throws the game of his life, keeps the other team from scoring at all, maybe gets a base hit to give the crowd a larff, and finally, throws the last pitch in the ninth and in the locker room, gets what he undoubtedly deserves:  the 1-0 loss.  If he was a good pitcher, he’d have won.

Right?  That’s baseball.

“If you give up one run, pitch nine innings and lose 1-0, you still pitched a pretty good ballgame.”

I have… a lot of research to do.

Phillies 5, Dodgers 1

Yes, pitching is all the rage these days; “rage” being the sensation felt when phenomenal pitching is not met with phenomenal hitting.  They’re letting it loose it in Cincinnati, albeit for an inning or two at a time, but it’s out there, and its slitting throats.

Roy Oswalt was firing on all cylinders, and wasn’t letting the Dodgers hit the ball, which is exactly what he was designed for. His Phillies stats, the only ones that should really count for him this year, continue to climb upwards.  He is shiny.  He is pristine.  He is hard to watch, if you’re an opposing lineup with a thousand excuses.

“This park isn’t the easiest park to hit in during the daytime, which led to his effectiveness.”

Pffft.  Whatever, Casey Blake.  Why don’t you go let a ground ball through your legs and watch the Phillies win 10-9.

J-Roll did some offense in the top of the first, the very top, and then Shane Victorino did some more.  Both were home runs.  It was gratifying to see such explosive things happening in close succession.  Maybe, just maybe if the Phillies can learn just how much simpler the game of baseball gets when runs are supplied, they will learn to like–nay, love it.  When one of your three ace starters and somewhat solid fourth starter is clearly on track to dam back what offensive farts an enemy may have, but there’s no support… Hey, let’s build a house and then not nail it together!

Damn.

Okay, so I don’t re-rant myself, let’s move onto another topic.  After Antonio Bastardo’s deliverance to the majors, Paul Hoover is probably going to show up, too.  Why?  Well, I don’t know if you remember, but there was a time when the Phillies couldn’t open their eyes in the morning without an anvil instantly falling on their heads.  For a team who has become as accident prone as we are, another catcher is not a bad concept, considering the other two could explode at any moment.

“Hoover left triple-A Lehigh Valley with an eight-game hitting streak and was hitting .385 in his last 12 games.”  –Philly Inquirer

Oh!

“In 77 games with the IronPigs, he hit .247 with two home runs and 21 RBIs.”  –Philly Inquirer

Oh.

TBOH on Twitter.  I will break into your dreams if I have to.

Image courtesy of City of Santa Rosa.

Many Pirates fans have said that the recent behavior by Washington Nationals CF Nyjer Morgan seems strange.  There is no question Tony Plush was a popular player for the Pirates, but take a look at the video below of Morgan charging the mound against the Marlins and ask yourself a serious question.  Does this look familiar?

Morgan has been the center of controversy for several days now.  In the video link below he comes to the aid of teammate Ryan Doumit. He gets pretty hot and is kicked out of the game.  Here is the link.

Nyjer Morgan is on the left of the screen being pushed by an Indianapolis Indians coach.

There is no question the guy is passionate. He plays the game hard. But he looks like a time bomb right now. 

He is facing a suspension for throwing a ball at a fan in Philly.  His manager held him out of a game for fear of retribution after hitting a catcher.  He has ran over the Marlins catcher last night, injuring him, which caused the most recent incident that caused him to be hit with a clothesline that would rival anything you see in the WWE.  Today another video surfaced of Morgan jawing at a Marlins fan. 

Did the Pirates factor this into his trade to Washington?   Hell, who knows, but as this saga continues, the more I love that deal.

Fortunately for Morgan he is headed to Pittsburgh this weekend where surely nobody will give him a hard time, right?

Video hat tip

In the series against St. Louis, Houston outscored their division rivals 11-2. The Astros have now won 8 of their last 10 games. Most of that is due to catching the Phillies and Cardinals at the right time. However, Houston’s pitching has to be given some credit. In those ten games, they’ve given up just 1.7 runs per game. 1.7! And if you didn’t know, Roy Oswalt is no longer an Astro. Catching the Phillies and Cardinals at the right time is one thing but those are still two of the more talented offenses in the National League and the Astros have made them look completely helpless.

Of the Astros remaining 29 games, only 9 are against teams above .500. 6 of those are against the division leading Reds and the other 3 are against the 68-66 Manny-less Dodgers. If Houston can keep up their brilliant pitching and finish the year playing as well as they have, they could flirt with 80 wins. If they finish out 18-11 they’ll end the year 80-82. 19 wins and they’re a .500 club. And nobody. Nobody saw that coming.

Welcome back to the major’s Brandon Allen!

After sitting in Reno all season, Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman turned left fielder Brandon Allen made his mark on his first major league game of the season by getting two hits, including a game winning grand slam in the seventh inning, leading the Dbacks to a 5-2 win and a series sweep of the San Diego Padres.

Clearly the tide is turning for the Dbacks. They have now won six of their past seven games, and if not for a blown lead on Sunday, would be riding a seven game winning streak. They posted a 16-13 record in the month of August, their first winning month since last August 2009. They start September off with a victory and now get a well deserved day off before facing the Houston Astros this weekend.

The Dbacks have been playing loose.  They look like a team that has been winning all season instead of the Padres.  Frankly, it was something I thought I would not see this season.  However the Dbacks have not given up and have sent a clear message to other teams, that they will not leave this season quietly and showing what they expect to bring next season.  We can only hope.

In addition to Allen, pitcher Barry Enright also shined today, getting his sixth win.  He is now 6-2.  Still not a bad start since being recalled in June.  Along with Allen, also being recalled was Tony Abreu and Carlos Rosa.  They activated Leo Rosales.

Bring on the Astros!

Taking the path less traveled this month, I decided to post each team’s write-up individually instead of grouping them by league or division as we have done in the past.

Representing the Chicago White Sox and Southside Showdown is the site’s Lead Writer, Rob Sesso. Check out what he has to say after the jump.

Rob’s Take:

It’s really tough for me to pick someone for the Sox to recall when the minor league system is so depleted. Their most pressing need is bullpen arms, especially from the left side. Erick Threets was already on the major league roster, but tore his ulnar collateral ligament on Friday and will most likely require Tommy John surgery.

The Chicago White Sox should recall Dayan Viciedo when the rosters expand. Viciedo has already had a cup of coffee in the majors when he was called up after 3B Mark Teahen was put on the disabled list for his finger injury. Viciedo played an average third base in the time he was here, but his bat showed tremendous power. His plate discipline is lacking right now, but hopefully he addressed that issue when he returned to the minor leagues.

With the Sox in the midst of a playoff race, it would be good experience for the young third baseman. He can fill in at third down the stretch or be a valuable pinch hitter.

There aren’t many options to go to at this point. Rosters expand very soon, and Manny Ramirez, a valuable addition, is on his way.

Maybe Viciedo can learn a thing or two from the veteran.

Taking the path less traveled this month, I decided to post each team’s write-up individually instead of grouping them by league or division as we have done in the past.

Representing the Arizona Diamondbacks and Venom Strikes is the site’s Lead Writer, Scott Allen. Check out what he has to say after the jump.

Scott’s Take*:

*Scott submitted his response on August 24th.  Stats have been updated as necessary.

It’s a tough call as a fan of the Arizona Diamondbacks to see who I would like to see them call up for the month of September. As far as I’m concerned, call them all up. It can’t get any worse than it already has been. Ok, seriously though, if I had a gun to my head and HAD to pick ONE player to be called up, I would say Brandon Allen.

Allen, a first baseman, has been tearing it up in Reno. He has 25 homers, 86 RBI, and a batting average of 0.261 through August 31st. He was supposed to be the first baseman of the future for the Dbacks and still could be, that’s why I think it’s important to get him up here to see what he can do for a few weeks.

With the rumors of Adam Laroche being possibly traded, now word comes out that they may offer him an extension. Now is the time to see what Allen can do, either for these Dbacks, or possibly showcase him for another team for next season. I’ve heard the Dbacks organization thinks highly of him. It’s going to be Laroche or Allen at first next season. If not Allen, get him up here now and bait him for maybe some decent pitching in return. The Dbacks must commit to one of these players and soon.

Allen was a little disappointing in spring training and that’s why he has toiled in Reno most of the season. Besides that, Laroche is having a great offensive season and calling Allen up anytime sooner would have been a mistake. He would have just spent most of the time on the bench with maybe a spot start here and there. He needs to be playing everyday to gain consistency and major league confidence. With the season shot, maybe the Dbacks can give him a number of starts in September. Laroche could sit more against lefty’s. I don’t want to see either one of them sit, but this is the time to see if Allen can shine.

~~~~~

My Notes:

Brandon Allen, as expected, was called up today and made an immediate impact. He went 2-3 with a grand slam against the Padres. Arizona found a way to get him in the lineup by playing him in LF (where he played 33 times this season in Triple-A) while leaving LaRoche to man 1B.

Taking the path less traveled this month, I decided to post each team’s write-up individually instead of grouping them by league or division as we have done in the past.

Representing the New York Mets and Rising Apple is the site’s Lead Writer, Adam Garnett. Check out what he has to say after the jump.

Adam’s Take*:

*Adam’s entry was composed and submitted on August 24th.  I have updated stats where applicable.

First off, let’s start off by saying that the Mets farm system is not what one would call … dynamic. Though Ike Davis and to some degree Ruben Tejada have made major contributions at the big league level this year for the Amazins’, there really is little buzz about anyone currently cutting their teeth in the minors. Outfield prospects Lucas Duda (0.304 BA, 23 HR and 87 RBI in 115 games in Double and Triple-A) and Kirk Nieuwenhuis (0.270 BA, 17 HR and 74 RBI in 117 games between Double and Triple-A) have put together admirable offensive campaigns thus far and surely have enhanced their prospects for a September call up. But, the guy I most want to see in Flushing the last month of this lost season is a guy who actually started the year in the big leagues with the Mets. That would be one Jenrry Mejia.

I know hindsight is 20-20, but the Mets obviously botched Mejia’s growth process by including on their opening day 25-man roster and throwing him into the bullpen. To make matters worse, no real role was established for this young 20-year old fireballer and he wasted the first 2 1/2 months of the season struggling with his command and confidence. Mejia logged 27.2 innings in 30 games out of the bullpen, compiling a 3.25 ERA with 17 Ks and 15 BBs before finally being shipped to Double-A Binghamton to stretch out his arm as a starter. About a week after his demotion, Mejia suffered a posterior cuff strain in his throwing shoulder and was shut down for over a month. Since returning to action, Mejia was very good in six starts at Binghamton, pitching to a 1.32 ERA with a 26-14 K/BB ratio. He got bumped up to Triple-A Buffalo and started on the 30th.  In that outing he pitched 8.0 innings of 1 run, 5 hit baseball while walking 1 and striking out 9.

Even though Mejia struggled some while up with the big club, it was clear by watching the radar gun pop at 98 MPH and seeing his cut fastball make good hitters look silly that he had a special arm. Now, with the Mets all but out of the playoff hunt, it is time to see what this kid can do as a starting pitcher. Let him toe the bump five or six times in September and dream of what a Jon Niese/Jenrry Mejia combo at the top of the Mets rotation might look like in three years.

~~~~~

My Notes:

Duda and Mejia were both called up today.  Duda takes the place of the recently traded Jeff Francoeur, while Mejia will join the rotation and start his first major league game on Saturday.

Taking the path less traveled this month, I decided to post each team’s write-up individually instead of grouping them by league or division as we have done in the past.

Representing the Philadelphia Phillies and That Balls Outta Here is the site’s Lead Writer, Justin Klugh. Check out what he has to say after the jump.

Justin’s Take*:

*Justin wrote this on the 23rd and Bastardo was recalled on the 27th, but I didn’t want to alter this in any way since I enjoyed it so much.

Tyson Gillies just got busted for his interest in nose candy. Dane Sardinha caught a DUI during Spring Training. And Brody Colvin took a swing at a cop in New Orleans.

So not only is the well somewhat dried up for the Phillies, there’s demons crawling out of it.

Here’s the thing.

There are plenty of promising seeds in the Phillies farm system, but these aren’t guys who are going to be ready for the plucking until 2013. Domonic Brown was our last major league ready dude, and he’s been popped up to counteract the horrific line of injuries the Phils have been faced with all season.

So. With the rosters ballooning in that way that they do this time of year, everybody turns an eager eye to their prospects, and seeing as how Brown is already on our roster, who exactly is the excited young’n hoping for a spot for the stretch run?

I would like to see Antonio Bastardo. Again, I mean. Look, you can’t ignore the utter absence of left handers in our bullpen. You can, sure, like we have been all year, but when its just J.C. Romero out there, a guy with limited success in 2010, it can’t hurt to have some backup. Bastardo has seen major league playing time this year already, and found himself DFA’d after one of our several thousand returning starters came off the DL. But he’s another lefty out there to supplement the starved options Charlie Manuel has to tinker with.

Even he hasn’t been gifted with dominance this year. Yeah, that’s an ERA over 5.00 (5.54) in 13 innings. That is … not a very good ERA. But how realistically could a playoff crusade be with a single left hander in the relief corps, and Romero has proven that while adequate, his inconsistency flaws him away from being able to take the responsibility on his own.

I’m just saying, it doesn’t hurt to have options, and hurting is what the Phillies have been doing all year. The lineup proved itself fiery even before Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Shane Victorino returned, and the rotation is built for the post season with three legitimate aces. The bullpen is where we need the help, and with not a truckload of young guns ready to fire, Bastardo is where it’s at.

Also they’ve started calling him Tony Bastard, which is just bad-ass.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!

Tattooed jackass and Nationals announcer Rob Dibble has been fired by the team. Dibble had been on ”leave” since last week, allowing Nationals fans to actually listen to the announcers without wanting to kill themselves. This is the early birthday present I was hoping for, in all honesty I couldn’t believe someone that bad at their job actually kept it. Whether it be the constant grunting, bitching about balls and strikes, or the ”When I played” attitude, Dibble just flat out sucked as an announcer. When someone is that bad at their job, they deserve to be fired.

Taking the path less traveled this month, I decided to post each team’s write-up individually instead of grouping them by league or division as we have done in the past.

Representing the Colorado Rockies and Rox Pile is the site’s Lead Writer, Alex Barnes. Check out what he has to say after the jump.

Alex’s Take:

The Rockies should call up some reinforcements from Colorado Springs when rosters expand on September 1st. I believe the following players should be called up for the stretch run:

Chris Nelson*:  The former 1st round pick had a brief tour in Denver earlier this season. He can play all over the infield, and provides some bench flexibility, especially if Ian Stewart’s oblique injury lingers.

*Update: Nelson was in fact called up today

Brad Eldred:  The power hitting 1B will not help the Rox out defensively, but provides a right handed power bat off the bench. Eldred could team with Giambi to provide a righty/lefty pinch hit duo with a ton of power. However, Eldred is not currently on the 40-man roster, and would have to be added to receive a call up.

Chaz Roe and Edgmer Escalona:  Both of these pitchers sport typically ugly PCL ERAs, but the Rox bullpen could use some extra arms. Additionally, they are both currently on the 40-man roster. Even if these two were to only pitch in blowouts, they would help by saving some wear and tear on the Rox ‘pen. Of the two, Escalona is the more likely call up, since he is a reliever and his innings count is lower than Roe’s.

Kazuo Matsui:  Why not? He helped the Rox on their epic run in 2007. Maybe calling up Matsui will help recreate the magic down the stretch.

A couple of factors that have lead to Gonzalez being the top candidate for the Cubs position is his relationships with latin players, as well as his decisive handling of players. The whole reason Gonzalez is even available was because he was wrongly fired because of benching Hanley Ramirez due to lack of hustle. Despite the Marlins disapproval, the Chicago Cubs as well as many other teams applaud the way Gonzalez handled Ramirez.  Many within Baseball also consider Gonzalez to be one of the best and brightest of the current young managers that are out there in the MLB.

It also is apparent that Fredi Gonzalez and Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry have a really good friendship with one another.  The two have known each other since high school, and had a good relationship when both were part of the Florida Marlins Organization.

Gonzalez, 46, has a strong relationship with Hendry that goes back three decades and included time together in the Marlins organization.

Reached by phone Tuesday night, Gonzalez would neither confirm nor deny interest in the job or contact by the Cubs.

”I don’t have anything I can tell you,” he said, ”except Jim and I go back to my high school days. He coached one of the opposing teams when I played. And we worked together with the Marlins.” CHICAGO SUN TIMES

As for the reported interest from the Atlanta Braves, sources indicated to the Sun Times that Braves have never once gave any indication to Gonzalez or any other candidate about their intentions for next season. Which is why the Cubs have probably targeted Gonzalez as they guy they want as their new manager.

Even though the Cubs would like their next manager to have experience managing in the major leagues, sources have indicated that they have not removed Ryne Sandberg from the list of candidates. General Manager Jim Hendry is traveling with the Iowa Cubs this week, and is expected to interview Ryne Sandberg at some point about the managerial opening.

The goal for Hendry and the Cubs is to have a new manager before their organizational meetings, which take place right after the World Series concludes. Out of the two, I would have to say that Gonzalez has the more appeal to me as a fan. I love the way he handled Hanley Ramirez, and his attitude about the game of baseball. That is the guy that I feel would be best suited for the Cubs opening.

The Royals also have catcher Manuel Pina on the 40 man roster who had a .707 OPS in 2010, playing mostly at Double A Northwest Arkansas and briefly in Triple A Omaha. I would imagine he’s a long shot to see time this season, but would be available if the Royals felt they needed a third catcher to finish out the season.

Kendall’s been playing through pain for a while now, so there’s something to be said about that dedication to the game. Still, he started a higher percentage of his team’s games than any other catcher in the league and at the age of 36, it’s not a surprise that he broke down. There’s no question he’s an old-school tough player. A gamer, as they might say. But the Royals are a better team without him. (Insert a joke about eliminating a huge hole in the lineup here)

If there are any attractive catching options available this winter, the Royals may go after them and cut their losses on Kendall, who may not be back until June 2011, and even then, won’t be any more effective as a hitter or behind the plate.

You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.

It should be no surprise that Mike Moustakas is the recipient of the Brett Award and John Lamb won the Splittorff Award.

On top of those honors, the Royals also named players of the year for their minor league affiliates today.

Moustakas has hit 34 homers and 120 RBI in 2010 across Double A and Triple A and is a no-doubt selection for the award. He has a very strong chance to be named the Minor League Player of the Year when the season ends.

Lamb started the year at Low A Burlington before a promotion to High A Wilmington. He dominated both levels and earned an early look at Double A. He’s struggled there, but has still had a couple of solid starts at that level. He’s rocketed up the Royals prospect list, and could be the top pitcher in next year’s rankings (and with Mike Montgomery and Danny Duffy around, among others, that’s some good company).

The winners at each affiliate level are:

• Omaha Royals: 1B Kila Ka’aihue, RHP Bryan Bullington
• Northwest Arkansas Naturals: 1B Clint Robinson, LHP Everett Teaford
• Wilmington Blue Rocks: 1B Eric Hosmer, LHP Chris Dwyer
• Burlington Bees:  C Wil Myers, RHP Bryan Paukovits
• Idaho Falls Chukars: 1B Murray Watts, RHP Michael Mariot
• Burlington Royals:  3B Ryan Stovall, LHP Crawford Simmons
• Surprise (AZ) Royals: C Henry Moreno, RHP Robinson Yambati
• Dominican Royals:  OF Jorge Bonifacio, RHP Jose Brazoban

As you can see the Royals are swimming in first baseman prospects right now.  Dwyer, Simmons and even Paukovits have gotten a fair amount of press here and there, but Everett Teaford has gone overlooked thus far, but is another young arm to keep an eye on.

You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.

Taking the path less traveled this month, I decided to post each team’s write-up individually instead of grouping them by league or division as we have done in the past.

Representing the Minnesota Twins and Twinkie Talk is the site’s Lead Writer, Steve Fetch. Check out what he has to say after the jump.

Steve’s Take:

With the Twins 4.0 games up on the White Sox and pretty entrenched in first place in the AL Central, there isn’t an obvious need on the team. Their bats have struggled a bit as of late, but no one in the minors would be able to give any relief there. Their outfield defense struggles at times, but none of their AAA outfielders are on the 40-man.

So instead I’m going to go with Pat Neshek. Neshek hasn’t been great with AAA Rochester (3.67 FIP) but he doesn’t walk a lot of guys and has shown the ability to be a high strikeout guy in the past. Neshek would allow Gardy to be less reliant on Matt Guerrier, who has already appeared in 61 games this year, and appeared in over 150 between 2008 and 2009.

The Twins have a couple other relievers in Alex Burnett and Rob Delaney who could help take some pressure off the current big league relief corps, but Neshek is far and away the best one and should be called up.

Also, I’d like to see the Twins give Glen Perkins some starts in September and roll with a 6 man rotation to give the other 5 guys some nights off. The Central isn’t a done deal, but giving Perkins 3 or 4 starts won’t make them lose the division.

Taking the path less traveled this month, I decided to post each team’s write-up individually instead of grouping them by league or division as we have done in the past.

Representing the Los Angeles Dodgers and Lasorda’s Lair is the site’s Lead Writer, Anuj Agarwal. Check out what he has to say after the jump.

Anuj’s Take:

Gone is larger-than-life Manny Ramirez. With his departure, the Dodgers have subtly acknowledged that they will likely miss the post-season this year. Sure, the company line of Scott Podsednik’s value in left field will be kicked around but the team can now focus on 2011 and beyond. Upgrading power in the infield should be the obvious top priority. The first attempt to address this issue could happen right away with the promotion of third baseman Russ Mitchell from Triple-A Albuquerque. The 25-year old is short on pedigree but long on production.  He was drafted by the Dodgers in the 15th round of the 2003 draft, and is hitting a robust 0.322 with 23 HR and 86 RBI.

The end is close for grizzly incumbent Casey Blake, who has one year left on his contract, and the Dodgers have been unwilling to pay the price in free agency or trade to acquire premium players at first and third. Mitchell could get the first chance to cement a future role if the Dodgers commit the remainder of the season to developing young players. Here’s an analysis of Mitchell by Albuquerque’s play-by-play announcer:

“Has been solid at the plate all year, consistent approach, hits for average and power. Really impressive at 3B, good first step and strong arm, equally good going left, right, and coming in. And he can play 1B and 2B capably as well. He’s even played OF in his career, though we haven’t seen him there yet. But he’s not a utility guy, I like him at 3B every day. He’s the one keeping everybody loose, always talking, laughing. Clearly loves coming to the ballpark, loves what he’s doing.”

Mitchell doesn’t come without his weaknesses. Despite his high batting average, he’s only drawn 37 walks in 534 plate appearances this year and has never drawn more than 42 free passes in an season. Whether his ability to develop his on-base skills would increase at the major league level is debatable, but the Dodgers don’t really have much to lose down the stretch. Calling up a young player at the height of a hot streak (he’s posted a 1.304 OPS in his last 43 AB) could result in a fast start to his big-league career and create optimism in fans in what as has otherwise been a miserable year.

Taking the path less traveled this month, I decided to post each team’s write-up individually instead of grouping them by league or division as we have done in the past.

Representing the Florida Marlins and Marlin Maniac is the site’s Lead Writer, Michael Jong. Check out what he has to say after the jump.

Michael’s Take:

The interesting thing about the Marlins’ upcoming September is that many of the players who have deserved a “cup of coffee” have already arrived in the majors this season. The team’s top prospect, outfielder Mike Stanton, has been in the big leagues since midseason and is a Rookie of the Year candidate. First base/left field prospect Logan Morrison, who was having an excellent season in Triple-A New Orleans, was forced into big league action with the season-ending injury to Chris Coghlan. Cameron Maybin, who was in the majors earlier in the year, was recently promoted to fill center field with the departure of Cody Ross via waivers. Combine that with the dearth of pitching prospects the Marlins have in the minors, and the options for Septermber callups are slim to none.

The one name who should get a look late this year is third base prospect Matt Dominguez. Dominiguez has had another mediocre year in Double-A Jacksonville, batting just 0.251/.333/.413 for the season. However, this does represent an improvement over his poor showing late in the year for Jacksonville in 2009. In addition, while the defensive numbers have not been kind on Dominguez’ glove, he has always been known as a major-league ready defender even at the age of 20. However, perhaps the biggest reason for Dominguez to receive a look is that the Marlins do not have much in the way of better options. The curent Marlins starter at third base is the immortal Wes Helms, who does not project to be very useful at the plate (.307 projected wOBA) and is unlikely to be much better than Dominguez on defense, if at all. The Marlins would not lose much by going to their third baseman of the future for a month over another veteran who would perform comparably.

One name that you may not hear for a callup, even though he is the only logivcal remaining option, is third base prospect Matt Dominguez. The 20-year old has not stood out with his performance this season, but could be worth a look in the majors for September. In the upcoming Call to the Pen post, I discussed the primary reason why the Marlins should bring him up, but here I’d rather go into further detail about Dominguez’ minor league production and update his progress from the beginning of the season.

Earlier this season, our own John Herold went over each of our major hitting prospects, and ranked Dominguez as the second-best prospect of the system. In particular, the reasoning behind the ranking is that Dominguez is widely considered a spectacular defender at third base (he was considered by some as major league ready for the position out of high school) and because his position made him intrinsically more valuable than Logan Morrison.

However, one of the primary things John brought up as well was the fact that Dominguez’ performances were often downplayed by factors not visible in the raw stat lines. In particular, his “step back” performance in 2009 in High-A was actually more of a product of the depressed league and park run environments of High-A Florida State League as compared to Low-A South Atlantic League. This year, the primary problem John pointed in out in Dominguez’ early season performance was in BABIP. This season, Dominguez has a .279 BABiP that has contributed to a .251/.331/.413 slash line (.337 wOBA). However, Dominguez’ 2010 BABIP may be about even with his skill level, as his career BABIP sits at just .285.

However, John’s point about level does apply to Dominguez’ 2010 line. According to FanGraphs, his .337 wOBA equates to a 102 wRC+, meaning that his performance so far this season is merely average compared to his league. A league average Double-A bat with his kind of defensive play is probably still fairly valuable. And while a translated batting line (translated to major league performance) for Dominguez’ season would look ugly, this is totally acceptable given his age. Dominguez is just 20 years old, the same age as draft classmate Mike Stanton. Stanton certainly has outperformed expectations for a player so young, but Dominguez still has plenty of time available until his age becomes comparable to other players in his league. The current average age in the Southern League is 24.2 years of age, meaning his general competition is older. A league average performance at his age may be at least on track towards developing into a successful major leaguer.

One of the interesting observations John made before the season started was about Dominguez’ plate discipline numbers. Thanks to data from StatCorner,  John was able to track swinging and taken strikeouts for Dominguez’ PA in the minors. This was the table he displayed before the season:

The numbers remained mostly static, outside of the small-sample Jacksonville numbers from 2009. When we take a look at 2010, we can see that the numbers still remain similar. Dominguez is striking out swinging in 13.2% of PA and striking out looking in 3.3% of them, right in line with his previous seasons. Essentially, he has maintained a steady level of production as he goes up in level, all while being younger for his level in later seasons. At this stage in the game, we can still project good things for Dominguez, and he is at a high enough level to at least consider seeing him for a month in the majors.

Taking the path less traveled this month, I decided to post each team’s write-up individually instead of grouping them by league or division as we have done in the past.

Representing the Atlanta Braves and Tomahawk Take is the site’s Lead Writer, Kris Willis. Check out what he has to say after the jump.

Kris’ Take:

One of the hot names that the Braves have a decision to make on whether or not to give him a September call up is Minor League Player of the Year candidate Freddie Freeman. It was not too long ago that it looked like he was a lock for a call up, but then the Braves made an August waiver wire trade to acquire Derrek Lee from the Chicago Cubs. That deal immediately put doubt into whether or not the Braves would call Freeman up and otherwise start his arbitration clock ticking.

I think that it is important that the Braves include Freeman in their September call ups for two reasons. One the team needs his bat.  With Derrek Lee at 1B and Troy Glaus on his way back from injury, Freeman wouldn’t have to shoulder the load at first base which might be a lot for a twenty year old rookie to handle. Second the Braves should promote Freeman because he has earned it with an outstanding season at Triple A Gwinnett. He’s hitting 0.319 with 18 home runs and 87 RBI. He also has 35 doubles to go along with a 0.521 Slugging Percentage. As a very young triple A player (he will turn 21 this month) Freeman has proven that he belongs.

The Braves need not worry about starting Freeman’s arbitration clock as he is likely to be given every opportunity to win the first baseman’s job in Spring Training next season anyway. Calling him up now would just give them an extra look in the heat of a pennant race. With Chipper Jones now in the twilight of his career, the future of the Braves offense will rest in players like Freddie Freeman and this year’s rookie right fielder Jason Heyward. Freeman and Heyward played together throughout the minors before the season saw Heyward in Atlanta and Freeman in Triple A.

They shouldn’t have to wait any longer to be reunited.

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My Notes:

I’m on the Freddie Freeman bandwagon and fully endorse his candidacy as a September call-up. According to David O’Brien on Twitter yesterday, Freddie has been freed and is on his way to the majors.  It is also worth mentioning that rumors are circulating that the Braves might be looking to deal Glaus which would open up some additional playing time for their young 1B prospect.

Switching gears, and as a Royals fan, I have to point out that there are three players in the Kansas City system that are far more legitimate Minor League Player of the Year candidates than Freeman (see: Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Wil Myers).  Of course any discussion of POY awards in the minor leagues has to also include everyone’s favored son and Angels OF prospect, Mike Trout.

It’s a minor disagreement to be sure and the fact I’m still bitter that Kyle Davies hasn’t panned out probably plays into my bias.

Taking the path less traveled this month, I decided to post each team’s write-up individually instead of grouping them by league or division as we have done in the past.

Representing the Washington Nationals and Teddy Never Wins is the site’s Lead Writer, Jeremy Stewart. Check out what he has to say after the jump.

Jeremy’s Take:

This has been a rough week for Nationals fans. The team was swept by the lowly Cubs, learned that the Savior needs Tommy John, and now it looks as if slugging 1st baseman Adam Dunn will be headed to free agency. But there is hope. The 2010 draft class might be 3-4 years away but it was both talented and deep. Shortstop Ian Desmond has blossomed since being moved to the top of the lineup and there appears to finally be a wave of good young players on the way.  The problem is that most of them are a year away. Former GM Jim Bowden’s last few years were criminally bad in terms of drafting and player development, but Mike Rizzo has managed to do a great job in a short time.  The A and AA teams are loaded with excellent position players. Guys like Destin Hood, Chris Marrero , Michael Burgess, Tyler Moore (29 HRs at High-A), and Jeff Kobernus will all become recognizable names in a year or so.

As for this year, I’d like to see 2 players come up in September. The 1st is second baseman Danny Espinosa. He has been on the radar for a long time as a top Shortstop prospect, even playing it in AA this season. But with the rise of Ian Desmond, Espinosa was moved to 2nd upon being promoted to AAA. Over the course of his time in Double and Triple-A, he’s has hit 22 HRs and stolen 25 bases in 2010. He is the Nats long term answer at 2nd and should get an audition of this month in preparation for 2011.

The other prospect I’d like to see called-up has only been with the Nats for a few months.  28-year old Yuneski Maya signed out of the Dominican over the summer after defecting from Cuba. The right-hander has only has made a few starts in the system, but possesses a low 90s fastball, low 80s slider, and big looping Livan-like 65 mph curve. Maya could make a few starts, talk shop with Livan, and prepare to compete for the Nats 2011 rotation.

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My Notes:

It appears the Nationals are of a like mind when it comes to Maya, at least they were a week and a half ago.

After being diagnosed with a cavernous malformation in his brain back in March, baseball was the furthest thing from 19-year old Ryan Westmoreland’s mind. The top rated position player in the Sox system had successful surgery in March 16th and now just 5 and a half months later, he is suiting up for the Lowell Spinners, getting back to what he knows best. Although Westmoreland will not be jumping into game action immediately, being cleared to participate in team practices and workouts is a huge step in his return and an even better sign that he is healthy. Westmoreland’s story is a journey and everyone associated with he Red Sox is hoping that most of the story is still being written with a happy ending yet to come.

Life is the most unpredictable journey of all, regardless of your profession, background or social status. We so often get caught up in the scandal aspects of the MLB or focus on the players inflated salaries and ignore the human aspect of being a professional athlete. Unfortunately, many times it takes an extremely difficult situation like Westmoreland’s sudden health issues to bring back the personal component of these players lives. When the news was released about Westmoreland’s condition, there was an immediate outpouring of support to him and his family, proving the power of a fan-base like the Boston Red Sox goes beyond the baseball diamond. Everyone came together to send their thoughts and prayers, making it crystal clear that the Red Sox nation family was by his side through it all.

Westmoreland’s baseball career has been filled with accolades. He was one of the highest ranked players in New England in 2008, playing at Portsmouth High School in Rhode Island and opted to pass on playing for Vanderbilt when drafted in the 5th round in 2008. Since that point his career has been filled with bright spots of success and difficult injuries. His first professional season, Westmoreland had to have partially torn labrum repaired and followed that up with a broken collarbone forcing him out of action in the end of 2009 after a tough collision with the outfield wall. The biggest injury hurdle of all was the diagnosis mentioned above in the beginning of 2010, sidelining him until this week. When healthy, Westmoreland’s abilities are off the charts in many aspects of the game. Below is an except from SoxProspects.com scouting report.

A true five tool talent with tremendous upside. Sturdy, athletic build with the ability to add strength.  Open stance. Keeps his hands high around his helmet and goes into a bit of a crouch as the ball approaches. Smooth and quick swing. Patient and selective – waits for his pitch. Above average power potential with a terrific approach. Hits to all fields.  Elite speed with excellent base-running skills. Strong arm with excellent outfield range. Very intelligent.

The 1st thing I noticed when reading the scouting report was Westmoreland’s skill level seems well beyond his young age. To be a patient, selective hitter at age 19 is a rarity and to already be considered a real 5-tool player says a lot about his overall game. The Sox could really use a talent like Westmoreland’s at the big league level and if he progresses like they hope he will, we may be seeing a lot more from this kid in 2012 or 2013. Assuming he can stay healthy, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him break into the bigs even a little sooner.

Because this is such an unusual medical issue in sports,  the first question I had back in March after hearing the news, was what is a cavernous malformation? For those who don’t know, below is an excerpt from the Mayo Clinic to give an idea of the severity of this diagnosis. As with an medical issue in or around the brain, the level of concern is high because of the potential other issues that can be caused.

Cavernous malformations (cavernomas) are abnormally formed blood vessels that have the appearance of a small mulberry in the brain or spinal cord. The leakage of blood from these malformations may cause significant blood loss (hemorrhage). Cavernous malformations may enlarge slowly as a result of repeated small hemorrhages. Seizures may also occur when the malformation is in the surface layer of the brain (cerebral cortex).

I could talk about Westmoreland and his past numbers and continue on with the medical jargon, but that is now all in the past. The future is what is most important for him and how quickly he can get right back up to game speed. I know I speak for all of Red Sox nation when I say welcome back Ryan. You were in all of our thoughts and prayers and to see you back on a baseball field so quickly is a wonderful feeling. You will always be a member of the Boston Red Sox community and we look forward to watching you continue your journey towards stardom.

You know what’s awesome? That it was Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, and Andres Torres (though he’s not really part of the “youth movement”) that won the game for the Giants. You know what’s not cool? That it was Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, and Andres Torres who won the game for the Giants. Where are the rest of the guys? Watching them swing at first pitch after first pitch, not working the count, hacking away like a bunch of drunk loggers was dreadful. Thankfully, the two youngest members of the Giants were able to keep the G-Men from a second straight loss to the Rockies with Ubaldo going for the Purple today.

Bumgarner wasn’t special, but, he got the job done. He wiggled his way out of a few jams and got some solid defense behind him, a welcome change from the past week or so. Posey was Posey – just another night at the yard, and Torres, while he struggled most of the night, came through with the go ahead moon shot of a homer before Posey opened it wide open with his double.

The NL West leading Padres continued their scuffle, dropping their 6th straight game (3 of the 6 have been to the Diamondbacks), but chances are they’ll get back in the win column as their ace Mat Latos takes the hill tonight in Arizona. Either way, despite the Giants struggles of late, they have closed the NL West gap to just 4 games, although it’s 5 in the loss column. It’s been a mini implosion by the Padres, no doubt – but it’s up to the Giants to capitalize now. It wont be easy versus the NL’s potential Cy Young winner (despite his recent struggles) Ubaldo Jimenez who opposes Tim Lossecum, err, Lincecum tonight.

If we ever needed a vintage Timmy outing, it’s tonight. Come through, big time Timmy Jim. Please?