By John Wagner

TOLEDO—Some time soon, Cincinnati baseball fans may want to make April 10, 2010 a baseball holiday.

On the same day last year’s top draft pick, Mike Leake, made his professional debut with the Reds, Aroldis Chapman made his pro debut roughly 200 miles north in a Triple-A start against Toledo.

And the 22-year-old Cuban was impressive, shutting down the Mud Hens on five hits in 4 2/3 innings. Four of the five hits off the lefthander, who signed a six-year, $30.25 million contract with the Reds in January, never left the infield as Chapman struck out nine while walking only one.

“I was happy today—everything went the way I wanted it to,” Chapman said through an interpreter, Louisville trainer Tomas Vera. “There were some pitches that I didn’t throw the way I wanted, but overall I am happy.”

Chapman threw 85 pitches, 55 for strikes, but those weren’t the numbers that were most impressive. What caught the attention of the 5,642 fans at the game were the five times the southpaw reached 100 miles per hour or more on the stadium speed gun, as well as 32 pitches that topped 95. [...] Continue Reading »

The last minor league game of the season takes place Tuesday in Oklahoma City, as the champions of the International and Pacific Coast leagues meet in the Triple-A National Championship.

Durham (83-61 regular season), champion of the IL, sends righthander Jeremy Hellickson to the mound against Memphis (77-67), the PCL champion. While one source has lefthander Jaime Garcia slated to start for the Redbirds, the Bulls’ game notes and the Memphis Commercial-Appeal have righthander P.J. Walters scheduled. Durham advanced by winning a five-game first-round series with Louisville before sweeping Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to win the Governor’s Cup, while Memphis swept Albuquerque and then Sacramento to claim the PCL title.

While Garcia and Walters are solid options, Hellickson gives the Bulls a distinct advantage, as the 22-year-old Iowan has been one of Triple-A’s best pitchers in the second half of the season. He has 18 strikeouts in 12 1/3 playoff innings, after going 6-1, 2.51 in nine starts for the Bulls. That stretch included 70 strikeouts and just 15 walks in 57 1/3 innings pitched. [...] Continue Reading »

Thursday was supposed to be the debut of the Reno Aces, the Diamondbacks new Triple-A affiliate. But in the wake of the news of Nick Adenhart’s death, the team has decided to postpone their opener against the Salt Lake Bees–the Angels’ Triple-A affiliate. The Los Angeles Angels had also announced that they are postponing Thursday night’s game against the Oakland Athletics.

Although Adenhart was not on the current Bees roster, he had spent most of last year at Salt Lake affiliate, and he was a former teammate of many of the current Bees.

It’s Opening Day.

Kary Booher and I made the quick 2.5 hour trip from Durham this morning for this morning’s 11:15 a.m. game between Triple-A Charlotte and visiting Gwinnett. It’s also a kids’ day, so there are plenty of what appear to be middle schoolers in the house.

They are watching a bit of International League history. The Braves are in their first year in their new, suburban Atlanta home after 42 seasons in Richmond, and they kick it off right with top prospect Tommy Hanson, fresh off a dominating spring, taking the mound for the G-Braves.

He’ll face a veteran Charlotte lineup, and we’ll chronicle his outing here on the blog with our Stalker radar gun letting us know how his stuff is. Here are today’s lineups:

GWINNETT

CF Gregor Blanco; SS Diory Hernandez; LF Brandon Jones; 1B Barbaro Canizares; 2B Brooks Conrad; DH Joe Borchard; 3B Van Pope; C J.C. Boscan; RF Reid Gorecki. Pitching: Hanson.

CHARLOTTE

CF Miguel Negron; SS Eider Torres; 1B Brian Myrow; LF Michael Restovich; DH Ben Broussard; RF Josh Kroeger; 3B Javier Castillo; C Cole Armstrong; 2B Keith Ginter. Pitcher: John Van Benschoten.

For what it’s worth, the rest of the series’ pitching matchups include: Jo-Jo Reyes (Gwinnett) vs. Wes Whisler on Friday, James Parr vs. Jeff Marquez on Saturday, and TBA against Charlotte’s Lance Broadway on Sunday.

[...] Continue Reading »

The names on the roster may change, but the same team keeps winning the Bricktown Showdown.

The Sacramento River Cats won their second consecutive Triple-A Championship as the Pacific Coast League champs beat Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 4-1 in Oklahoma City.

Scranton had won the International League championship, but they, and the IL as a whole, are still looking for a first win in the Bricktown Showdown. Tucson won the 2006 game before the River Cats won back-to-back titles.

Brooks Conrad and Wes Bankston both had RBI singles against Yankees starter Ian Kennedy in the first inning. Those two runs proved to be all that Sacramento needed as starter Brad Knox threw two scoreless innings. Chris Gissell allowed a single to the first batter he faced, but followed it up by retiring the next nine batters to get the win. Gissell was named the winner of the Bobby Murcer MVP award, which was presented by Baseball America.

Conrad was the offensive star, as he had two hits and turned the double play that ended the game.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Sacramento 4, Oklahoma 2 (Sacramento won the best-of-5 series 3-1)

With the series locked up at 1-1, the River Cats won 8-5 on Friday before taking the series with a 4-2 victory yesterday. All four of Sacramento’s runs were driven in by center fielder Carlos Gonzalez, who went 2-for-3 with a home run. Lefthander Brett Anderson gave up two runs on five hits while walking three and striking out three for his second win of the playoffs. The victory marks the second-consecutive PCL championship for the River Cats, and their fourth in the past six years. Sacramento will now face Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the Bricktown Showdown on Tuesday night. River Cats outfielder Chris Denorfia shared the PCL Postseason MVP award with Gonzalez. Denorfia, the team’s leadoff hitter throughout the playoffs, hit .486 (17-for-35) with four home runs and 12 runs scored in the playoffs, while Gonzalez hit .406 (13-for-32) with two home runs and eight RBIs.

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 20, Durham 2 (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre wins series, 3-1)

DURHAM–With Yankees righthander Phil Hughes facing Bulls righthander Wade Davis in Game 4, most observers expected a pitchers’ duel. As it turned out, Davis didn’t make it out of the third inning. He gave up five runs in the second and then loaded the bases without getting an out in the third before being pulled. Davis didn’t get a lot of help from his defense, but he struggled to find the strike zone and got hit hard. He ended his season with a line of eight runs on four hits over two innings, with three strikeouts and six walks.

Hughes was also a little shaky in the first, but quickly settled down and blew through the Bulls’ lineup after that. Through five innings, Hughes gave up one run on four hits, with four walks and 12 strikeouts. His fastball sat 91-93 mph and his 73-76 mph curveball was untouchable, featuring tight rotation and depth. He did an excellent job locating his fastball low and to both corners, appearing at times to both cut and tail (two-seam) the pitch at similar velocities, and when he missed with his curve he missed low. Hughes broke out a mid-80s slider and a changeup later in the outing, but he appeared to only be doing the batters a favor by throwing them.

The Yankees combined for 18 hits, with each batter collecting at least one. First baseman Juan Miranda went 3-for-5 with a home run and six RBIs and shortstop Chris Basak went 4-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs. The win gives Scranton/Wilkes-Barre its first-ever Governor’s Cup championship (they joined the IL in 1989 as a Phillies farm club), and the team will face the winner of the PCL final in the Bricktown Showdown on Tuesday. The game will air on ESPN2.

[...] Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Durham 3, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 2 (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre leads the best-of-5 series 2-1)

Backed into a corner, Durham got out to an early lead, hoping to avoid a series sweep. In the second inning, Bulls second baseman Elliot Johnson hit a solo home run off of Yankees starter Kei Igawa for the first run of the game. The Bulls added another run in the bottom of the fifth when Johnson scored from first due to a throwing error made by Igawa after fielding a bunt by center fielder Nathan Haynes. But the Yankees didn’t go down easy, scoring a run of their own in the top of the sixth and another in the top of the eighth to tie the game at two. But the Bulls mimicked their major-league counterpart and won the ballgame in the bottom of the ninth when Johnson scored from first on a double by Haynes, who ended up going 3-for-4 with two doubles. Bulls righthander Jeff Neimann struck out eight over 6 2/3 innings, giving up five hits, one walk and one run in the process.
 

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 1, Durham 0, 13 innings (Scranton leads the best-of-5 series 2-0)

Durham out-hit Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in this game, 9-4, but couldn’t manage to bring anyone home. Their best chance was in the second inning when left fielder Jonny Gomes struck out to end the inning, leaving the bases loaded. The Bulls held the Yankees to just three hits over the first 12 innings in what was a great pitchers’ duel, including an epic battle of the bullpens. Durham righthander Mitch Talbot went eight innings with three hits, three walks and eight strikeouts. Talbot was relieved by lefthander Heath Phillips, who pitched two no-hit innings with five strikeouts and then righthander Dale Thayer added two more no-hit innings with two strikeouts. Yankees righthander Ian Kennedy pitched five innings, allowing five hits while walking four and striking out eight. After Kennedy, righthander Steven Jackson gave up three hits over three innings while striking out five. Righthanders Mark Melancon and Scott Strickland each threw two no-hit innings, striking out two apiece. For Melancon, it was his second appearance in two days—he got the win after throwing a scoreless inning in game one. The Yankees have backed the Bulls into a corner as the series comes to Durham.
[...] Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 8, Durham 7 (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre leads the best-of-5 series 1-0)

The Bulls were forced to change their lineup a bit after Tampa Bay recalled first baseman Dan Johnson, who had been one of the Bulls’ best hitters, and designated third baseman Joel Guzman for assignment. Durham could have used Johnson’s thump—but he was busy hitting a home run for the big club. Bulls lefthander David Price struck out nine over six innings—the most he’s whiffed since being called up to triple-A—but also gave up four runs on seven hits. The Bulls were winning, 8-6 going into the ninth inning, but righthander Scott Dohmann couldn’t close it out, giving up two runs—blowing the save and the game. Yankees DH Ben Broussard went 1-for-2 with a first-inning home run off of Price and walked three times.
[...] Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Durham 9, Louisville 1 (Durham won the best-of-5 series 3-1)

After nearly getting no-hit by Bulls righthander Jeff Niemann on Saturday night, Louisville’s offense didn’t do much better Sunday night against righthander Wade Davis, who gave up a run on four hits, with three walks and seven strikeouts. It was the only run the Bats could bring across, as all five of their hits were singles. With 15 hits, Durham didn’t have any trouble scoring runs. Bulls right fielder Jon Weber went 4-for-5 with  two doubles and left fielder Jonny Gomes hit his second home run of the playoffs. Durham will now face Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for the Governor’s Cup.
[...] Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Louisville 19, Durham 3  (Best-of-5 series tied 1-1)

Louisville scored early and often against Bulls righthanders Mitch Talbot and Chris Mason. The Bats jumped on Talbot in the bottom of the first, putting four runs on the board. After they scored another run in the second inning, that was it for Talbot. Mason came in to try and stop the bleeding, but Louisville’s hit parade continued as they put up nine runs in the bottom of the third. Every Bats hitter had at least one hit and seven of the 10 hitters they used drove in a run. Second baseman Danny Richar went 4-for-5 with a walk, two doubles and four runs scored. Shortstop Paul Janish went 4-for-5 with a double, a home run, four runs scored and four RBIs. Louisville righthander Homer Bailey gave up just two hits and struck out eight over six scoreless innings.

Pawtucket 3, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 1 (Best-of-5 series tied 1-1)

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre managed to scratch out just two hits against Pawtucket, but neither of them came against the Red Sox’ starter, righthander Devern Hansack, who struck out eight over six no-hit innings. Hansack did surrender Scranton’s only run, however, as the result of a walk, a wild pitch and a couple groundouts. Pawtucket right fielder Jason Lane, who was ejected from the first game of the series for arguing balls and strikes, came back with a vengeance, going 2-for-4 with a home run. Scranton righthander Ian Kennedy allowed two runs on five hits over seven innings. He struck out five and walked three.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Oklahoma 6, Iowa 2 (Best-of-5 series tied 1-1)

A big two-out rally in the top of the second inning resulted in five runs for the Redhawks—enough to win the game and knot up the series at one game apiece. A throwing error by Iowa shortstop Andres Blanco resulted in all five runs of the inning being unearned. Oklahoma third baseman Travis Metcalf went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in the top of the third. Iowa actually out-hit Oklahoma, 10-6, but just couldn’t bring runners around to score. Four time the Cubs ended the inning with runners left in scoring position. 

Sacramento 8, Salt Lake 3 (Best-of-5 series tied 1-1)

After losing a slugfest in game one of the series, the River Cats came out swinging again, putting up eight runs to tie the series at one game apiece. Sacramento second baseman Brooks Conrad had a huge night, going 2-for-4 with two home runs, giving him three for the series. Right fielder Chris Denorfia, first baseman Casey Rogowski and shortstop Donnie Murphy all hit round-trippers as well. Sacramento righthander Sean Gallagher threw five scoreless innings for the win, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out four.

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Durham 3, Louisville 0 (Durham leads best-of-5 series 1-0)

Durham lefthander David Price struck out six over five innings of work for the win. He didn’t allow a run, working around three walks and three hits in the process. Jeremy Cummings, Dale Thayer and Scott Dohmann came out of the bullpen and slammed the door, combining for four scoreless innings of relief. Durham’s offense was fueled by three solo home runs. Second baseman Elliot Johnson hit one in the fifth inning and designated hitter Dan Johnson and first baseman Chris Richard went back-to-back in the bottom of the seventh. [...] Continue Reading »

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Memphis righthander Mitchell Boggs (Cardinals) needed to finish strong to wrest the PCL ERA title away from Nashville lefty Lindsay Gulin. He got there by allowing only one run on three hits (one of them a solo homer) in seven innings against playoff-bound Oklahoma. The 24-year-old Boggs struck out six and walked two to finish 9-3, 3.45 on the season.

Prospect Nuggets

Omaha 1B Kila Ka’aihue (Royals) capped a very strong season by going 2-for-4 with a double (four), a run, an RBI and two walks. He hit .313/.457/.629 with 37 homers, 14 doubles and a minor league-leading 104 walks in his time with Omaha and Double-A Northwest Arkansas [...] Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Syracuse left fielder Travis Snider (Blue Jays) went 2-for-3 with a home run (two), two RBIs and a run scored. Though he won’t qualify for the IL’s top 20 prospects list because of a lack of playing time at the level, the 20-year-old phenom is batting .344/.388/.525 through 61 at-bats.

Prospect Nuggets

Rochester RHP Philip Humber (Twins) rattled off another fine start to finish August with a 4-1, 2.74 record in six starts, two of which were complete games. He struck out 36 and walked seven in that span. Last night, Humber limited Syracuse to two runs in seven innings, while striking out four and walking none. He did allow a home run to Travis Snider, but what are you going to do? . . . Indianapolis RHP Dan McCutchen (Pirates) didn’t walk anybody in his four innings of work last night—but that’s where the superlatives end. He allowed six runs on four hits, including four home runs. [...] Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Durham righthander Wade Davis (Rays) stymied the Indianapolis batters for six innings, keeping them off the board while allowing just one hit and two walks. The 22-year-old Davis struck out eight in what was the Southern Division clincher for the Bulls, a team that sits just four games over .500. He’s gone 3-2, 2.68 in 47 innings since his promotion from Double-A, with 48 strikeouts, 21 walks and five home runs allowed.

Prospect Nuggets

It was a good day for Blue Jays prospects at Syracuse. LHP Ricky Romero struck out six batters and walked three in seven shutout innings at Rochester. He allowed just three hits and improved to 2-3, 3.53. LF Travis Snider went 1-for-4 with a double (five), an RBI, a run scored and two strikeouts [...] Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Though his strikeout rate has taken a downward tick at Triple-A, Rochester righthander Anthony Swarzak (Twins) has been much more successful, overall, than he had been at Double-A. The 22-year-old allowed only one run in eight innings yesterday in the Red Wings’ 7-1 win against Syracuse. Swarzak struck out six batters, matching his Triple-A high which he had set in his previous start, while walking two and giving up seven hits. He’s gone 5-0, 1.89 in six starts for Rochester, compared with 3-8, 5.67 in 20 starts for Double-A New Britain.

Prospect Nuggets

Indianapolis 3B Neil Walker (Pirates) went 2-for-4 with a home run (16), a walk and four RBIs . . . Rochester CF Jason Pridie (Twins) went 3-for-5 with a double (19) and a run scored . . . Louisville CF Drew Stubbs (Reds) has a hit in all but two of his 12 Triple-A games after going 1-for-3 yesterday, with a double (four), a walk, a strikeout and a run scored . . . Buffalo 1B Jordan Brown (Indians) was 1-for-3 with a home run (six) and two RBIs. [...] Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

While his trade from the Yankees to the Pirates has meant only a change in IL teams thus far, righthander Ross Ohlendorf has signaled with his performance that he may be a key part of Pittsburgh’s rotation next season. In six starts since joining Indianapolis, Ohlendorf has gone 3-3, 3.24 with 35 strikeouts and eight walks in 41 2/3 innings. Last night he allowed only one run to Durham in eight innings of work, striking out six and allowing just five hits and a walk. The 6-foot-4 righthander has sat at 95 mph with plus sink as an Indian, topping out at 97, and has shown improved command of his slider and splitter. Ohlendorf, 26, may be the perfect complement to the Pirates’ lefty-heavy rotation this September and into next season.

Prospect Nuggets

Durham CF Fernando Perez (Rays) went 4-for-4 with a double (17), a walk and two runs scored. All four hits came against Ohlendorf (Princeton), whom Perez (Columbia) might remember from their Ivy League days. Both were 2004 draft picks . . . Syracuse LF Travis Snider (Blue Jays) went 2-for-4 with an RBI and his first stolen base at the Triple-A level, off the Rochester battery of Kevin Mulvey and Jeff Christy [...] Continue Reading »

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Salt Lake shortstop Brandon Wood’s (Angels) 16 home runs since July 1 have rightfully garnered him much attention. What has gone largely unnoticed, though, is the large number of walks he’s accumulated in that span—29 in 49 games. One certainly couldn’t blame PCL pitchers for working Wood more carefully, but the corresponding dip in his strikeouts (39 in those 49 games) suggests he’s beginning to figure out how advanced pitchers are trying to work him. Wood, 23, went 1-for-2 yesterday with two walks, a whiff and a run scored.

Prospect Nuggets

Albuquerque SS Robert Andino (Marlins) hit for the cycle, going 5-for-6 with three runs and two RBIs in the Isotopes 16-8 win against visiting New Orleans. Zephyrs RHP Bobby Parnell (Mets) was rocked for six runs (five earned) in 2 2/3 innings to take the loss [...] Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Richmond left fielder Brandon Jones (Braves) connected for two solo home runs off righthander Anastacio Martinez, and drove in a third run with a single, to provide all the offense for Richmond in its 3-0 win against Toledo. It’s been a tough season overall for the 24-year-old Jones, who is batting .261/.345/.408 in 341 at-bats on the year, but he’s clubbed five of his eight home runs on the season in August. In fact, he’s hitting .328/.425/.597 in 67 at-bats for the month—far and away his best monthly performance. Jones told The Toledo Blade:

"(Martinez) was throwing a lot of strikes. I was able to sit on a couple pitches and make good, solid contact."

Prospect Nuggets

Columbus LF Leonard Davis (Nationals) is beginning to figure things out at Triple-A. An Expos’ eighth-round pick in 2004 from Fresno CC, he went 3-for-5 yesterday to push his minor league composite totals to .313/.376/.556 in 387 at-bats—though most of that damage was done at high Class A Potomac. Still, the 24-year-old Davis bats lefthanded and plays both outfield corners as well as second and third base, suggesting he could fill a utility role if he continues to hit . . . Durham LHP David Price’s (Rays) pitch count again hovered in the 80-range (85 to be exact) in his five-inning stint yesterday. He struck out three, walked four and allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits [...] Continue Reading »